A comparison of sealer placement techniques in curved canals

Sealer placement techniques have not been examined in teeth with curved canals prepared with Lightspeed instruments. Three traditional methods of placing sealer were studied, using 45 extracted human single-rooted teeth, divided into 3 groups of 15. Root canal preparations were made with Light-speed nickel-titanium, engine-driven instruments. AH26 sealer was applied with either K-file, lentulo spiral, or master gutta-percha cone. Radiographs were taken after sealer placement and analyzed for amount of canal sealer fill. The teeth were then obturated with laterally condensed gutta-percha, chemically cleared, photographed, and analyzed for total canal wall sealer coverage. The results showed a statistically significant difference in canal sealer fill among the three groups before obturation, but there was no statistical difference in canal wall coverage among the three groups after obturation. None of the examined methods exceeded an average of 62.5% wall coverage of sealer after obturation. This suggests that complete wall coverage after obturation may not be possible.