Hydrosolubility of tricalcium silicate-based bioceramic sealers: an in vitro comparative study

Bioceramic sealers based on tricalcium silicate are increasingly used in endodontics due to their bioactivity and favorable interaction with periapical tissues. However, their hydrosolubility may compromise long-term sealing ability. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the solubility of BioRoot RCS, Bio-C Sealer, and NeoSealer Flo under moist conditions. A total of 12 standardized specimens (n = 4 per sealer group) were prepared, weighed, and immersed in distilled water in accordance with International Organization for Standardization recommendations (ISO 6876:2012). Specimens were reweighed at 24, 48, 360, 720, and 1440 hours, and mass loss was recorded. Solubility was calculated as the percentage of mass loss. Statistical analysis included 1-way analysis of variance and post hoc Bonferroni and Dunnett T3 tests (α = 0.05). Bio-C Sealer exhibited the highest mean (SD) solubility, 11.56% (1.18%), significantly exceeding the ISO 6876:2012 limit of 3%. BioRoot RCS (5.81% [1.37%]) and NeoSealer Flo (4.97% [1.32%]) also exceeded the ISO threshold but demonstrated greater dimensional stability. Analysis of variance confirmed that there were statistically significant differences among sealers (P < 0.001), but pairwise comparisons showed no significant difference between BioRoot RCS and NeoSealer Flo. While none of the materials fully met the requirements of ISO 6876:2012, BioRoot RCS and NeoSealer Flo demonstrated significantly greater resistance to dissolution than Bio-C Sealer. These findings support their use in clinical scenarios where enhanced stability is essential, although further long-term investigations are recommended.