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Comparative evaluation of obturation techniques for C-shaped canals: a network meta-analysis
1Department of Stomatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China.
Objective:
To compare the filling quality of different root canal filling methods in C-shaped canals using a network meta-analysis.
Materials And Methods:
This PROSPERO-registered study [CRD420251044833] included in vitro investigations on C-shaped canals. After screening 1139 records, 9 studies were eligible. A Bayesian model network meta-analysis was performed using R software, with interventions ranked by SUCRA values. Risk of bias was assessed using the RoBDEMAT tool, and subgroup analyses were conducted for different canal configurations and imaging methods.
Results:
No statistically significant differences were found between LC and any of the other filling method, with the exception that UC exhibited significantly lower porosity than LC at the middle region(MD = -1.7,95% Crl:-3.3, -0.062). Subgroup analyses revealed that the overall results were modified to some extent by differences in C-shaped canal anatomy and the method used to detect obturation porosity.
Conclusions:
Current obturation techniques remain unable to achieve completely void-free filling in C-shaped root canals. However, the obturation performance of the same technique varied across different root levels, suggesting a site-dependent pattern of filling quality.
Clinical Relevance:
The present findings do not support a definitive recommendation for any particular obturation technique in clinical practice. Rather, they may be viewed as an evidence map that provides a reference framework for the design of future studies.
Systematic Review Registration:
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, CRD420251044833.