Quality analysis of four filling techniques in ovoid root canals prepared with M® instruments

Aims: This study aimed to assess the quality of various filling techniques in ovoid root canals prepared using M® instruments. Materials and Methods: Sixty ovoid root canals underwent endodontic treatment with M® instruments and were subsequently divided randomly into four experimental groups, each employing a different obturation technique: TU - single cone; TL - active lateral condensation; TH - Tagger hybrid; TS - Schilder technique. Digital radiographs were taken in both mesiodistal and buccolingual directions to examine the filled teeth. The percentage of filling material and empty spaces was quantified using Photoshop® software. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using the one-way ANOVA test and T test (? = 0.05). Results: In the TL and TS groups, there was a significantly lower average percentage of unfilled spaces compared to the TU and TH groups (P<0.0001). When analyzing the radiographic directions, the mesiodistal view exhibited the highest mean percentage of unfilled spaces, with differences in filling quality observed only in the TU and TL groups. Conclusions: Active lateral condensation and Schilder techniques demonstrated superior performance in achieving effective filling of ovoid root canals.

Micro-CT evaluation of the presence of voids in endodontic obturation.

Identifying the presence, size, type and location of voids in an endodontic obturation is of great clinical importance because it enables evaluation of the three-dimensionality of the sealing techniques, which can be related to the success of the endodontic treatment. AIM: To analyze by micro-CT the presence of voids in lower single-rooted premolar root canal obturations prepared using the single cone and ultrasound vibration technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty extracted single-rooted lower premolars were selected, and the root canal prepared surgically and chemically. In GROUP 1 - Without Vibration, the canal was obturated with a single cone and bioceramic, without applying vibration. In GROUP 2 - With Vibration, the gutta-percha cone inside the root canal was held with a cotton plier to which ultrasound vibration was applied for 3 periods of 3 seconds each. A micro-CT scanner was used to acquire and reconstruct images for analysis. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between obturation techniques, though there were differences between thirds, with the cervical third having a higher percentage of voids than the middle and apical thirds. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the volume of closed, open and total voids does not differ between treatments with and without ultrasound vibration. In the cervical third, the highest volume of voids was related to oval geometry in the teeth evaluated.

La presencia de vacíos en la obturación endodóntica, su tamaño y el tipo y localización tiene gran importancia clínica ya que permite evaluar la tridimensionalidad de las técnicas de sellado y relacionarlas con el éxito del tratamiento endodóntico. OBJETIVO: analizar mediante microtomografía la presencia de vacíos en la obturación del conducto radicular de premolares inferiores unirradiculares, utilizando la técnica de cono único y vibración con ultrasonido. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: se seleccionaron 20 premolares inferiores unirradiculares a los que se les realizó la preparación quirúrgica y química del conducto radicular. Se realizó la obturación con cono único y biocerámico GRUPO 1- sin vibración. En el GRUPO 2 - con vibración se aplicó vibración por ultrasonido, se tomó del cono de gutapercha colocado en el interior del conducto con pinza de algodón que fue vibrada durante 3 períodos de 3 segundos cada uno. Las mismas fueron adquiridas y reconstruidas en un microtomógrafo para posterior análisis de las imágenes obtenidas. RESULTADOS: No se evidenciaron diferencias significativas entre ambas técnicas de obturación comparadas, pero si entre los tercios analizados, siendo el cervical el que mayor porcentaje de vacíos presenta en comparación a los cortes correspondientes al tercio medio y apical. CONCLUSIONES: Los resultados sugieren que el volumen de vacíos cerrados, abiertos y total no varía en los tratamientos donde se aplica vibración por ultrasonido. En el tercio cervical, el mayor volumen de vacíos se relaciona con la geometría oval que presentaron las piezas dentarias evaluadas en este estudio.

Comparación de la microfiltración apical de cuatro tipos de cementos endodónticos: Endofill, mtaFillapex, Adseal y Roeko Seal / Comparison of the Apical Microleakage of Four Types Of Endodontic Cements: Endofill, mta Fillapex, Adseal and Roeko Seal / Comparação da microinfiltração apical de quatro tipos de cimentos endodônticos: Endofill, mta Fillapex, Adseal e Roeko seal

Introducción: La microfiltración apical es uno de los principales causantes de fracasos endodónticos donde hay invasión de bacterias y líquidos periapicales a la parte interna del conducto radicular y material de relleno. Materiales y Métodos: La muestra estuvo conformada por 60 dientes premolares unirradiculares que fueron seccionados en la unión amelocementaria, la instrumentación biomecánica se realizó con técnica rotatoria e irrigación con hipoclorito de sodio al 5.25% y EDTA 17%, se dividió aleatoriamente en 4 grupos (n=15) para cada tipo de cemento, la obturación se realizó con la técnica de condensación lateral, a nivel coronal se obturó con Ionómero vidrio base y resina, se colocaron en una incubadora a 37° sumergidos en NaCL 0.9% por 5 días hasta el fraguado de los cementos, para observar la microfiltración se utilizó el método filtración de tinta china y la diafanización con la técnica de Robertson. Las medidas de microfiltración apical se observaron utilizando el Estereomicroscopio. Resultados: El valor promedio fue menor para el cemento Adseal 0,33mm, seguido por los cementos Fillapex 0,87mm, Roeko seal 1,00mm y Endofill 1,30mm respectivamente. Hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la microfiltración apical de los cuatro cementos endodónticos (p=0.00) Conclusiones: El cemento Adseal presentó menor microfiltración en comparación a los cementos Fillapex, Roeko seal y Endofill.

Introduction: Apical microleakage is one of the main causes of endodontic failure, either due to invasion of microorganisms or periapical fluids into the canal, and only the composition of the type of obturator cement favors its reduction. The objective of this research was to compare the apical microleakage of four types of endodontic cements Endofill, MTA Fillapex, Adseal and Roeko Seal. Materials and methods: The sample consisted of 60 single root premolar teeth that were sectioned at the cement- enamel junction, the biomechanical instrumentation was performed with a rotary technique and irrigation with sodium hypochlorite and edta, randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 15) for each type of cement, the obturation was performed with the lateral condensation technique, at the coronal level it was obturated with base glass ionomer and resin, they were placed in an incubator at 37° submerged in NaCL 0.9% for 5 days until setting. of the cements, to observe the microleakage the India ink filtration method was used and diaph-anization with the Robertson technique. Apical microleakage measurements were observed using the Stereomicroscope. Results: The average value was lower for the Adseal 0.33 mm cement, followed by the Fillapex 0.87 mm, Roeko Seal 1.00 mm and Endofill 1.30 mm cements respectively. There were sta-tistically significant differences in the apical microleakage of the four endodontic cements (p = 0.00) Conclusions: Adseal cement presented less microfiltration compared to Fillapex, Roeko Seal and Endofill cements

Introdução: a microinfiltração apical é uma das principais causas de falhas endodônticas onde há inva-são de microrganismos e líquidos periapicais ao interior do conducto e só a composição do tipo de cimento obturador favorece sua disminuição. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi comparar a microinfiltração apical de quatro tipos de cimentos endodônticos Endofill, MTA Fillapex, Adseal e Roeko Seal. Materiais e métodos: a amostra foi composta por 60 dentes pré-molares uniradiculares que foram seccionados na junção amelocementária. A instrumentação biomecânica foi realizada com técnica rotatória e irrigação com hipoclorito e edta, sendo dividida aleatoriamente em 4 grupos (n = 15) para cada tipo de cimento. A obturação foi realizada pela técnica de condensação lateral, no nível coronal foi obturado com base de ionômero de vidro e resina, foram colocados em incubadora a 37° submersos em NaCl 0,9% por 5 dias até a pega dos cimentos. Para observar a microfiltração utilizou-se o método de filtração em tinta nan-quim e diafanização pela técnica de Robertson. As medidas de microinfiltração apical foram observadas utilizando o estereomicroscópio. Resultados: o valor médio foi menor para o cimento Adseal (0,33 mm), seguido pelos cimentos Fillapex (0,87 mm), Roeko Seal (1,00 mm) e Endofill (1,30 mm), respectivamente. Houve diferenças estatisticamente significativas na microinfiltração apical dos quatro cimentos endo-dônticos (p = 0,00). Conclusões: o cimento Adseal apresentou menor microinfiltração comparado aos cimentos Fillapex, Roeko seal e Endofill.

Effect of Obturation Techniques on the Quality of Root Canal Fillings: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of in Vitro Studies.

Introduction: The current study aimed to compare the quality of root canal obturation performed with cold lateral condensation with other obturation techniques. Materials and Methods: Diverse Search was conducted using six electronic/academic databases following PICOS (i.e. population, intervention, control, outcomes, and study design) strategy: (P) Extracted mature permanent teeth; (I) Obturation techniques except for cold lateral condensation; (C) Cold lateral condensation tyechnique; (O) Quality of root canal obturation; and (S) In vitro studies assessing parameters using micro-computed tomography. The statistical method used for the meta-analyses was the "inverse variance DerSimonian-Laird test". The heterogeneity data was calculated using the T2, Cochran Q test, and I2 statistics. Results: Fifteen studies were included for the final analysis; one had a low risk of bias, eight a moderate risk, and six a high risk of bias. Ten studies were selected for meta-analyses; three studies comparing cold lateral condensation with carrier-based gutta-percha techniques [P=0.96; mean difference (MD)=-0.02; confidence interval (CI): (-0.77, 0.73); I2=21%]; three comparing cold lateral condensation with single-cone techniques [P=0.75; MD=-0.39; CI: (-2.77, 1.99); I2=92%]; two comparing cold lateral condensation and thermo-plasticized injectable techniques [P=0.37; MD=5.91; CI: (-7.13,18.94); I2=99%]; and five comparing cold lateral condensation with warm vertical condensation techniques [P<0.0001; MD=5.29; CI=(2.84, 7.74); I2=92%]. The overall effect reported significant results [P=0.0003; MD=2.69; CI=(1.23, 4.16); I2=96%]; favoring fewer voids and gaps for the other used obturation techniques. Conclusions: Cold lateral condensation and single-cone techniques presented no statistical differences. Nonetheless, Warm vertical condensation technique had better results compared to cold lateral condensation.

Micro-computed tomographic evaluation on the quality of single-cone obturation using a modified passive-deflation sealer injection needle: an in vitro study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to design a modified passive-deflation sealer injection needle and investigate its ability to improve obturation quality of single-cone technique through assessing the distribution of voids in root canals using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight mandibular incisors were divided into eight groups (n = 6), according to the taper of root canal preparation (0.06 or 0.04), the needle used for sealer injection (modified or commercial iRoot SP injection needle), and the obturation method (iRoot SP sealer-only or single-cone obturation). After obturation, each specimen was scanned by micro-CT. The volumetric percentage and distribution of all voids were first analyzed and compared among groups, then the open and closed voids were separately analyzed and compared among single-cone obturation groups. RESULTS: Compared to commercial needle groups, modified needle groups showed much less voids, especially in the apical root canal part (P < 0.05). Besides, the modified needle groups produced much less open voids than commercial needle groups despite the root canal taper (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The modified passive deflation sealer injection needle could effectively improve the quality of single-cone obturation through reducing intra-canal voids, especially open voids throughout the root canal, thus might possibly be developed as an effective intra-canal sealer delivering instrument.

Epoxy vs. Calcium Silicate-Based Root Canal Sealers for Different Clinical Scenarios: A Narrative Review.

This study aimed to review the considerations for choosing a suitable sealer according to various endodontic scenarios. An electronic search of PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science was undertaken for the keywords of 'sealer choosing', 'appropriate sealer', 'suitable sealer', 'sealer for clinical scenario', and 'sealer for clinical situations'. However, the literature review revealed a lack of studies with practical clinical recommendations regarding the choice of appropriate endodontic root canal sealers for particular clinical situations of root canal treatment. Therefore, a narrative review was undertaken under the basis of the characteristics of an epoxy resin-based sealer (ERS) versus a calcium silicate-based sealer (CSS). Based on the evidence found through the review, the choice of an appropriate sealer in a variety of clinical scenarios was proposed. An ERS is recommended for one-visit non-vital cases, teeth with periodontal involvement, cracked teeth, and internal root resorption without root perforation. A CSS is recommended for vital or non-vital cases in multiple visits, teeth with internal root resorption with perforation or internal approach for external cervical resorption, teeth with open apices, and teeth with iatrogenic aberrations.

40-Year Outcome of Old-School, Non-Surgical Endodontic Treatment: Practice-Based Retrospective Evaluation.

(1) Background: Non-surgical endodontic treatment has been shown to be clinically successful; however, clinical long-term data are scarce. This practice-based retrospective clinical investigation evaluated endodontic outcomes over 40 years and identified relevant clinical co-factors. (2) Methods: Two experienced dental practitioners in two different private dental practices treated 174 patients with 245 teeth from 1969 to 1993. After root canal obturation, either a new direct restoration (amalgam, resin composite, or glass-ionomer cement) or the re-cementation of a pre-existing prosthetic restoration or renewal of prosthetic restoration followed. Metal posts (operator A) or metal screws (operator B) were inserted when coronal substance loss was significant. The primary outcome (i.e., tooth survival) was achieved when the endodontically treated tooth was, in situ, painless and had full function at the end of the observation period. A secondary outcome, the impact of different prognostic factors on survival rate, was evaluated. (3) Results: The overall mean survival was 56.1% of all treated teeth after 40 years of clinical service, resulting in an annual failure rate of 1.1%. Most investigated clinical co-factors (jaw, tooth position, intracanal dressings, post/screw placement, and gender) showed no significant influence on survival. (4) Conclusions: Even with materials and techniques from the 1970s and 1980s, successful root canal treatment was achievable. Except for post-endodontic restorations, most of the evaluated factors had no significant influence on the clinical long-term survival of root canal-treated teeth.

Comparative evaluation of resin-based sealers and bioceramic sealers for postoperative pain after endodontic treatment: A systematic review.

The systematic review aimed to compare and evaluate the effect of resin-based sealers and bioceramic sealers on postoperative pain after endodontic treatment. Two reviewers independently conducted electronic search in PubMed, the Web of Science, ScienceDirect, the Wiley Online Library, SpringerLink, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library, employing a complete dual-review process to ensure the inclusion of all relevant studies in the review. The search was carried out until November 2021. After selecting eligible studies, the risk of bias assessment was carried out using the revised Cochrane risk-ofbias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2). A total of 1,931 studies were identified from the electronic search, and finally 10 studies were included after full-text assessment. In all our included studies, the visual analog scale (VAS) was used for recording pain scores. Most of the studies recorded pain intensity starting from 6 h to 7 days. The results showed that there was no significant difference between resin-based sealers and bioceramic sealers in terms of incidence or intensity of postoperative pain at any point in time.

A system for automatic classification of endodontic treatment quality in CBCT.

OBJECTIVES: An evaluation of the effectiveness of a new computational system proposed for automatic classification, developed based on a Siamese network combined with Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), is presented. It aims to identify endodontic technical errors using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). The study also aims to compare the performance of the automatic classification system with that of dentists. METHODS: One thousand endodontically treated maxillary molars sagittal and coronal reconstructions were evaluated for the quality of the endodontic treatment and the presence of periapical hypodensities by three board-certified dentists and by an oral and maxillofacial radiologist. The proposed classification system was based on a Siamese network combined with EfficientNet B1 or EfficientNet B7 networks. Accuracy, sensivity, precision, specificity, and F1-score values were calculated for automated artificial systems and dentists. Chi-square tests were performed. RESULTS: The performances were obtained for EfficienteNet B1, EfficientNet B7 and dentists. Regarding accuracy, sensivity and specificity, the best results were obtained with EfficientNet B1. Concerning precision and F1-score, the best results were obtained with EfficientNet B7. The presence of periapical hypodensity lesions was associated with endodontic technical errors. In contrast, the absence of endodontic technical errors was associated with the absence of hypodensity. CONCLUSIONS: Quality evaluation of the endodontic treatment performed by dentists and by Siamese Network combined with EfficientNet B7 or EfficientNet B1 networks was comparable with a slight superiority for the Siamese Network. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: CNNs have the potential to be used as a support and standardization tool in assessing endodontic treatment quality in clinical practice.

Assessment of isthmus filling using two obturation techniques performed by students with different levels of clinical experience.

Background/purpose: Root canal filling is a necessary skill for dental students and an important aspect of endodontic education. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of students' clinical experiences on isthmus filling using different techniques and sealers. Materials and methods: One hundred eight three-dimensional-printed resin replicas of isthmus were divided into six groups and either continuous wave of condensation (CWC) or single-cone obturation (SC) was performed. One of three sealers (AH Plus Jet®, GuttaFlow2, iRoot SP) was used together with a size-fitted gutta-percha master cone. All the obturations were completed by students with three different levels of clinical experience including senior postgraduate students (SPS), junior postgraduate students (JPS), and undergraduate students (US). The percentages of filled areas (PFA) at 2, 4, 6, and 8 mm from the apex were analyzed using a light microscope. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis 1-way ANOVA with Dunn's tests (α = 0.05). Results: The CWC group exhibited a higher PFA than the SC group (P < 0.05). The PFA was higher in the SPS group than in the JPS group or the US group with CWC (P < 0.05). The three clinical experience groups showed similar PFAs with SC (P > 0.05); however, when using SC with iRoot SP, the PFA was higher than with either of the other two sealers (P < 0.05). Conclusion: CWC was found to be technique-sensitive and required clinical training. With SC, clinical experience did not improve the quality of isthmus filling without additional training. CWC was superior to SC for type IV isthmuses. When using SC, better filling quality was obtained with a bioceramic sealer.

Effectiveness of tricalcium silicate-based cements: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Tricalcium silicate-based cements exhibit several beneficial properties for dental health and biocompatibility, which can induce biomineralisation. Objectives: To assess the sealing ability and intratubular penetration of tricalcium silicate-based sealers using warm and cold obturation techniques. Materials and Methods: An electronic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for endodontically treated teeth with bioceramics and their sealing capacity in root canal obturation published up to February 2023. Results: Of the 90 articles, 16 met the inclusion criteria, and only 10 were used for the meta-analysis, of which four addressed intratubular penetration, four addressed sealing capacity, and two addressed both variables. In the sealing capacity group, the meta-analysis concluded a standardised mean difference (SMD) of -1.31 in favour of the test group (warm) with a certain nonsignificant trend (p = 0.081); regarding intratubular penetration, the meta-analysis concluded an SMD = 2.34 in favour of the test group (warm) with significantly greater penetration (p = 0.032). Conclusion: The warm obturation technique introduced significantly greater intratubular penetration than the cold technique, along with a remarkably superior sealing capacity compared to the cold technique, approaching statistical significance.

Assessment of the quality of root canal fillings performed on extracted teeth by undergraduate dental students in a sample from Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The educational process in the field of endodontics commences with preclinical exercises to enhance students' proficiency in cleaning, shaping, and performing root canal fillings. Therefore, this study aimed to radiographically evaluate the technical quality of root canal fillings performed by preclinical students on extracted teeth at the College of Dentistry, University of Ha'il, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A total of 788 extracted human teeth received root canal treatment by undergraduate students. The samples were then gathered and radiographically assessed using the three quality criteria of length, density, and taper. The category of root canal fillings was classified as either acceptable or unacceptable. The criteria for evaluating the acceptability of filling quality were defined based on the presence of adequate length, density, and taper. The effectiveness of root canal fillings was also evaluated in relation to the tooth type, sex, and treatment year. The agreement between the examiners was evaluated using Cohen's kappa test, and the relationship between the research variables was determined using the chi-squared test. The significance threshold was set at 0. 05. RESULTS: The overall quality of root filling was determined to be satisfactory in 532 (67.5%) of 788 endodontically treated extracted teeth. The majority of the research sample (88.1%) had enough length, 89.6% had adequate density, and 86.4% had acceptable taper. The quality of anterior teeth was substantially better than that of posterior teeth (p < 0.001). Our findings showed that the quality of root canals was better in 2022 than it had been in earlier years (p = 0.001). The three RCT quality criteria differed significantly when compared between sexes (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The quality of the root canal fillings completed by undergraduate students was rated as acceptable. The findings of the research suggest that the implementation of routine assessments to evaluate the technical competence of undergraduate dental students performing root canal treatments could provide significant insights into the efficacy of the curriculum requirements.

Physicochemical properties of calcium silicate cement based endodontic sealers.

AIM: To mensure the physicochemical properties of three ceramic cement endodontic sealers AH Plus Bioceramic, Bio-C Sealer and Bio-C Sealer Ion+ with an epoxy resin sealer, AH Plus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: These properties were measured: hardening time (HT), dimensional change (DC), solubility (SL), flow (FL) and radiopacity (RD). The distilled water obtained from the SL test was analyzed with atomic absorption spectrometry. A sample calculation was made considering n = 5 repetitions for each experimental sealer evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests (p < 0.05). RESULTS: For the HT, AH Plus (484 ± 2.76 min) and AH Plus Bioceramic (424 ± 1.23 min) set more slowly than of Bio-C Sealer (370 ± 4.50 min) and Bio-C Sealer Ion+ (380 ± 1.42 min) (p < 0.05). AH Plus Bioceramic (12.56 ± 2.71 %) was more soluble than Bio-C Sealer (6.69 ± 1.67 %), Bio-C Sealer Ion+ (5.67 ± 2.16 %) and AH Plus (0.15 ± 0.01 %) (p < 0.05). AH Plus (0.03 ± 0.01 %) had slight expansion while the cement-based sealers had shrinkage: AH Plus Bioceramic (-1.60 ± 0.63 %) and Bio-C Sealer (-1.38 ± 0.69 %), Bio-C Sealer Ion+ (-5.19 ± 1.23 %) (p < 0.05). Bio-C Sealer Ion+ (59.80 ± 0.86 mm) and Bio-C Sealer (58.60 ± 0.98 mm) had the highest flow compared with AH Plus (56.90 ± 0.56 mm) and AH Plus Bioceramic (49.50 ± 0.63 mm) (p < 0.05). AH Plus (9.17 ± 0.06 mmAl) and AH Plus Bioceramic (8.27 ± 0.84 mmAl) showed radiopacity values when compared with those of Bio-C Sealer (4.90 ± 0.08 mmAl) and Bio-C Sealer Ion+ (4.14 ± 0.05 mmAl) (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Ion release is inhered to these cement-based sealers and this result in calcium ion release.

Reducing apical voids for intra-canal sealer injection using a modified passive deflation needle.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the ability of a modified passive deflation needle to reduce the apical voids during the intra-canal iRoot SP sealer injection. A modified passive deflation injection needle was designed. Forty 20°-curved and twenty S-shaped single-canal resin block models were allocated into six groups. Each group was mechanically prepared to #25/04 or #25/06 file; then the root canals were injected with iRoot SP sealer using a modified needle or a normal plastic needle. Radiographs were taken to measure the length of apical void in each specimen. Similarly, twenty single-canal extracted premolars were collected and randomly divided into four groups. Each group was prepared to #25/04 or #25/06 file; then the root canals were injected with iRoot SP sealer using a modified needle or a normal plastic needle. Roots were then scanned using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), and the volume of voids in root canals was analyzed and compared among groups. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the length and the volumetric percentage of voids were much lower in the modified needle group in both resin block root canal models and extract teeth than the normal plastic needle group (P < 0.05). The modified passive deflation needle can efficiently reduce apical voids during the intra-canal iRoot SP sealer injection.

Enhancing Coronal Adaptation of Root Canal Fillings with a Modified Single-Cone Obturation Technique: Two Case Reports.

The single-cone technique, also known as the hydraulic condensation technique, is widely employed in endodontics. However, the aforementioned method is presented with certain limitations; specifically concerning the coronal seal and the adaptation of the coronal third of a master gutta-percha (GP) with a round cross-section to the coronal dentinal walls of root canals with semi-round or oval cross-sections. Through two case reports, the current article introduces the coronal vertical condensation (CVC) technique; aiming to enhance GP adaptation to canal walls in similar scenarios. In fact, the coronal vertical condensation technique amalgamates the different aspects of warm vertical condensation and single-cone techniques. In CVC, following the placement of the master GP cone, an electrical heat carrier is inserted immediately a few millimeters apical from the canal orifice to remove the coronal portion of the master GP cone. Subsequently, a hand plugger is used to condense GP in the vertical dimension, and the coronal space is backfilled using melted GP. The implementation of CVC technique has demonstrated an improved coronal adaptation of GP with canal walls. The stated technique seems beneficial; especially in the obturation of severely curved canals or root canals with a final preparation shape of variable taper.

The flow behavior and sealing ability of calcium silicate root canal cement containing dimethyl sulfoxide: An in vitro study.

INTRODUCTION: To develop a calcium silicate (CaSi)-based cement containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and cement deliver device for new root canal filling technique, and to assess the flow behavior, leakage, and root canal filling quality of CaSi containing DMSO. METHODS: CaSi containing DMSO (CSC-DMSO) and CaSi containing PEG (CSC-PEG) were prepared, and the flow characteristics of both cements were compared in gypsum and resin channels using a high-speed camera. Eight root canals were obturated by CSC-DMSO or CSC-PEG using a cement delivery device, and root canal filling quality was assessed in terms of filling length using periapical radiographs. The filling length was evaluated by 'apico-coronal extension,' measuring length in reference to apical constriction. Microleakage was measured for thirty human molars that were randomly filled with CSC-DMSO, CSC-PEG, or gutta-percha and AH plus. Preliminary obturation of CSC-DMSO with cement delivery device in human teeth was analyzed in terms of filling length and void, using periapical radiographs. Statistical analysis was performed with the Kruskal Wallis test for simulated root canal fillings and one-way ANOVA for leakage test. RESULTS: The flow speed of CSC-DMSO reduced in gypsum channels compared to resin channels, but CSC-PEG did not exhibit significant differences in the channels. The median absolute value of apico-coronal extension was significantly lower in CSC-DMSO compared to CSC-PEG (p < 0.05). Microleakage did not statistically differ between the groups (p > 0.05). In the preliminary obturation, the mean apico-coronal extension of CSC-DMSO was -0.297 ± 0.724 mm, while CSC-PEG was not feasible due to excess apical extrusions. CONCLUSIONS: CSC-DMSO could be considered as an alternative filling material for root canal obturation.

Effect of obturation technique on dentinal tubule penetration of two tricalcium silicate-based sealers: Ex vivo study.

The aim of this study was to assess by confocal laser microscope the depth of dentinal tubule penetration of two tricalcium silicate-based sealers promoted by two obturation techniques in curved canals compared with AHPlus. One hundred and twenty canals were divided into six groups (n = 20): BCSC-Bio-C Sealer (BC) and single-cone technique (SC); BCCW-BC and continuous condensation wave (CW); TFSC-Total Fill (TF) and SC; TFCW-TF and CW; AHSC-AH Plus (AH) and SC; AHCW-AH and CW. Data were analysed using the three-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (α = 5%). Penetration depth was significantly greater for TFCW than TFSC and greater for AHCW than AHSC (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between BCCW and BCSC (p > 0.05). The penetration of TF was significantly greater (p < 0.05). The CW technique promoted greater intratubular penetration, except for the BC sealer.

Effect of sodium hypochlorite and calcium hypochlorite on the apical sealing ability of endodontic sealers

Aim: This study aimed to compare the influence of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and calcium hypochlorite [Ca(OCl)2 ] on the apical sealing capacity of AH Plus (Dentsply Maillefer) and Bio-C Sealer (Angelus) endodontic sealers. Methods: Sixty permanent human lower incisors were randomly allocated (http://www.randomized.org), according to the irrigant used, into three groups (n=20): 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl/Control); 2.5% NaOCl; and 2.5% Ca(OCl)2 . The root canal was prepared with rotary files under 10 mL of the solution corresponding to the experimental group. Each group was subdivided into two (n=10) according to the sealer used for filling: AH Plus (Dentsply Maillefer) or Bio-C Sealer (Angelus). Then, all samples were immersed in black India ink for one week. After the storage period, the roots were then grooved longitudinally and split, and the ink penetration was measured from the apical part to the coronal part of the root canal into which the ink penetrated using a stereomicroscope. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc tests. Results: There was no statistical difference in ink penetration between the different endodontic sealers tested for the same irrigating solution (p > 0.05). However, when the Bio-C Sealer (Angelus) was used, the group treated with 2.5% Ca(OCl)2 was associated with lower values of apical leakage, compared to 2.5% NaOCl (p < 0.05). For the AH Plus sealer (Dentsply Maillefer), there was no difference between the irrigants (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Associating Ca(OCl)2 irrigant with Bio-C Sealer (Angelus) seems to be a good option to reduce apical leakage

Protocolo para la medición de espacios vacíos dentro de la obturación endodóntica con microtomografía / A protocol for the measurement of voids within the endodontic filling with microtomography

La microtomografía es un estudio que utiliza la ra-diación X para obtener imágenes de tamaños de mi-lésimas de milímetros y de alta resolución. Las imá-genes 2D son procesadas por diferentes softwares para lograr obtener volúmenes capaces de ser ana-lizados tridimensionalmente. La microtomografía es el estudio de elección a la hora de evaluar caracte-rísticas muy pequeñas con gran precisión. La obtu-ración endodóntica buscar lograr un sellado que no tenga espacios vacíos dentro de la masa de obtura-ción. Esto es importante debido a que los poros pue-den permitir, si están en contacto con la pared den-tinaria, la entrada de microorganismos al conducto radicular. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir el procedimiento para el análisis y visualización de los espacios vacíos dentro de la obturación endodónti-ca, utilizando la microtomografía de rayos x, y esta-blecer un protocolo para ser utilizado por cualquier investigador(AU)

Microtomography is a study that uses X-radiation to obtain high-resolution images of sizes of thousandths of millimeters. The 2D images are processed by different software to obtain volumes capable of being analyzed three-dimensionally. Microtomography is the study of choice when evaluating very small features with great precision. Endodontic filling seeks to achieve a seal that does not have voids within the filling obturation. This is important because the voids can allow, if they are in contact with the dentin wall, the entry of microorganisms into the root canal. The objective of this work was to describe the procedure for the analysis and visualization of voids within the endodontic filling using microtomography and to establish the protocol to be used by any researcher (AU)

Influence of Apical Patency on the Adaptation of the Master Filling Cone: A Cone-beam Computed Tomography Assessment.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate if the apical patency can influence the adaptation of the master cone of gutta-percha, quantifying the volume of voids and areas at the last 2 mm of the working length (WL). Materials and Methods: Sixty distobuccal canals of extracted upper molars were divided into 3 groups (n=20) based on the patency length (A: passed 1 mm beyond the apical foramen (AF), B: at the AF and C: 1 mm short of the AF) with the Easy ProDesign Logic 25/0.01 file. Each group was subdivided into 2 subgroups (n=10) based on the WL established to prepare the root canal (1: 1 mm short of the AF or 2: at the AF) with the Easy ProDesign Logic 25/0.05 file. After the scan, void volumes were calculated from the last 2 mm of the WL and void areas at 0 mm, 1 mm and 2 mm of the last of WL, as well as the relation between the tip and taper of the master cone with the amount of void volume and areas. To investigate statistically significant differences, we used the Kruskal-Wallis statistical test. Results: There were more voids in volume when patency was achieved 1 mm beyond the AF and the root canal preparation was conducted at 1mm short of the AF (A1 group). Furthermore, the same group showed more voids areas, mainly on the last millimeter of WL. Conclusion: Achieving apical patency at 1 mm beyond the AF followed by instrumentation 1 mm short of the AF created more voids between the master gutta-percha cone and the root canal wall, especially on the last millimeter of WL.