Comparative Study of the Effect on Apical Sealability with Different Levels of Remaining Gutta-Percha in Teeth Prepared to Receive Posts: An in vitro Study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to compare the apical sealability of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) Fillapex and Endosequence BC sealer at three different lengths of remaining gutta-percha after postspace preparation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 80 freshly extracted human maxillary anterior teeth were decoronated, biomechanically prepared, and randomly divided into four groups; Group A and Group B served as positive and negative control with 10 teeth each. The teeth in Group C and Group D (with 30 teeth each) were obturated with gutta-percha using MTA Fillapex sealer and Endosequence BC sealer, respectively. Teeth in Group C and Group D were further subdivided into three subgroups depending on the length of remaining apical gutta-percha, i.e., 3, 4, and 5 mm after postspace preparation. Apical leakage was assessed using dye penetration method under stereomicroscope. RESULTS: In both the Groups C and D, there was overall no statistically significant difference in leakage; however, Group C showed slightly more leakage than Group D. There was a statistically significant difference in leakage at 3 mm and 5 mm level in both groups. CONCLUSION: Although less microleakage occurred, the bioceramic sealers could not totally eliminate leakage.

Comparative Evaluation of Accuracy of Two Electronic Apex Locators in the Presence of Contemporary Irrigants: An In vitro Study.

AIM: The present study was aimed to compare the accuracy of Root ZX Mini and Propex II in the presence of 0.1% octinidine dohydrochloride (OCT), 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX), and 5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) heated and nonheated before and after preparation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty extracted single-rooted teeth were selected for the study and decoronated. Teeth were mounted in an alginate model. Actual working length (AL) was measured using a stereomicroscope under ×4 magnification. Electronic working length measurements were recorded using Root ZX Mini and Propex II apex locators in the presence of 0.1% OCT, 2% CHX, and 5% NaOCl (nonheated and heated to 60°C) before and after preparation. Mean and standard deviation differences before and after preparation were calculated and statistically analyzed using analysis of variance and paired t-test. RESULTS: The accuracy of Root ZX Mini before and after preparation within ±0.5 mm of AL was consistently high in the presence of irrigants than Propex II. 5% NaOCl (heated and nonheated) showed more variation than the other irrigants, in the working length determination in both the apex locators. CONCLUSION: Electronic length measurements were shorter with heated and nonheated 5% NaOCl and longer with 0.1% OCT and 2% CHX for both the electronic apex locators.