title: The influence of filling technique on depth of tubule penetration by root canal sealer: a study using light microscopy and digital image processing.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to compare the depth of sealer penetration into dentinal tubules by three root-filling techniques using light microscopy and digital image processing. Thirty-two maxillary central incisors were prepared. Two teeth were separated for the control group. The rest were divided into three equal groups and obturated as following--G1: lateral condensation; G2: warm vertical compaction of gutta-percha and G3: Thermafil system. Each sample was sectioned longitudinally and prepared for microscopic analysis. A sequence of photomicrographs with magnifications of X50, X200 and X500 were taken. Through digital image analysis and processing, measurements for each field were obtained. A non-parametric ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis analysis was used to determine whether there were significant differences among the groups. Significant differences between G2 and G1 (p = 0.034) and between G3 and G1 (p = 0.021) were identified. There were no significant differences between G2 and G3 (p > 0.05). The results of this research suggest that samples root-filled by thermoplasticised gutta-percha techniques lead to deeper penetration of the root canal sealer into the dentinal tubules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Rio de Janeiro State University--UERJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: De Deus
authors.forename: Eduardo Diogo
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Gurgel-Filho
authors.forename: Cláudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maniglia-Ferreira
authors.forename: Tauby
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coutinho-Filho
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003804:Dentin / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006171:Gutta-Percha / Q000737:chemistry; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007180:Incisor; D008853:Microscopy; D010784:Photomicrography; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D012389:Root Canal Obturation / Q000379:methods*; D018915:Root Canal Preparation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D006171:Gutta-Percha