Gutta-percha softening: "Hemo-De" as a xylene substitute.
The putative hazardous nature of chloroform and xylene implies that safer substitutes should be considered. Standard cylindrical gutta-percha samples were immersed in Hemo-De, a xylene substitute, for 60 s at 37 degrees C. Weight loss of a sample, after drying, was used as a measure of its solubility. Master and accessory cone gutta-percha of three brands were compared. The highest solubility of all kinds of gutta-percha was in chloroform, which served as a positive control. The average solubility of all samples in xylene and Hemo-De was 61% and 52% of that in chloroform, respectively. DMS gutta-percha was more soluble than of Hygienic and DeTrey. Master cone gutta-percha of all brands was more soluble than that of their accessory cones. These results indicate that (a) large differences exist in the solubility of gutta-percha and (b) Hemo-De dissolved gutta-percha in a range similar to that of xylene and may be considered as a potential substitute for this organic solvent.
Metzger
Z
Z
Departments of Oral Biology and Restorative Dentistry, Alpha Omega Research Labora
Marian-Kfir
V
V
Tamse
A
A
D002725:Chloroform / Q000737:chemistry; D006171:Gutta-Percha / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D012995:Solubility; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D014992:Xylenes / Q000737:chemistry
D012997:Solvents; D013729:Terpenes; D014992:Xylenes; C051809:Hemo-De; D002725:Chloroform; D006171:Gutta-Percha