Sealing properties of a new epoxy resin-based root-canal sealer

In this study a new epoxy-resin-based endodontic sealer, AH Plus, was tested in vitro for apical leakage. The conventional sealer AH26, for which information is already available, was used as the control. The root canals of 72 single-rooted teeth were prepared biomechanically using a stepback technique before lateral condensation of gutta-percha with one of the two sealers. Teeth were immersed in 5% methylene blue dye for 2, 4 or 10 days. The roots were split longitudinally so that the extent of dye penetration could be measured with a stereomicroscope. The mean extent at 2 days was 0.4 mm for AH26 and 1.4 mm for AH Plus. Neither material produced a complete apical seal and leakage increased with the duration of immersion in dye. The differences between observation periods as well as between materials with respect to dye penetration were statistically significant ANOVA, (P < 0.005).