Microleakage comparison of thermafil versus vertical condensation using two different sealers

The effect of two different sealers on the quality of the apical seal in roots obturated with Thermafil obturators (Tulsa Dental Products, Tulsa, Okla.) and vertical condensation was tested. Fifty extracted human maxillary anterior teeth were treated with the use of a step-back technique. Teeth were placed into five groups of 10 teeth each. One group served as the positive control. The root canals were obturated using either Thermaseal (Tulsa Dental Products) or Kerr (Kerr Manufacturing Co., Romulus, Mich.) sealer, and Thermafil or vertical condensation. All roots were placed in 1% methylene blue dye for 2 weeks. The roots were cleared, and the degree of linear dye penetration was measured using a Unitron light microscope with a Microcode II digital readout (Boeckeler Instruments, Tucson, Ariz.). The study showed that under in vitro conditions, the Thermafil technique was equivalent in linear leakage to vertical condensation. There were no statistical differences in the mean apical dye penetration between the two sealers or the two obturation techniques.