title: Brazilian gutta-percha points. Part I: chemical composition and X-ray diffraction analysis.
abstract: Eight nonstandardized gutta-percha points commercially available in Brazil (Konne, Tanari, Endopoint, Odous, Dentsply 0.04, Dentsply 0.06, Dentsply TP and Dentsply FM) were analysed chemically and by X-ray diffraction, and their chemical compositions were compared. The organic fraction (gutta-percha polymer and wax/resin) of the gutta-percha points was separated from the inorganic fraction (ZnO and BaSO4) by dissolving them in chloroform. The gutta-percha polymer was precipitated with acetone. The inorganic fraction was analysed by elemental microanalysis. Energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) and X-ray diffraction were employed to identify the chemical elements and compounds (barium sulfate and zinc oxide). The barium sulfate content was calculated based on the percentage of sulfur found in the elemental microanalysis. All analyses were repeated three times. The means and standard deviations of the percentage by weight of gutta-percha in the points were: Konne (17.6 +/- 0.30), Tanari (15.2 +/- 0.30), Endopoint (16.7 +/- 0.23), Odous (18.8 +/- 0.20), Dentsply 0.04 (15.7 +/- 0.17), Dentsply 0.06 (16.6 +/- 0.17), Dentsply TP (21.6 +/- 0.15) and Dentsply FM (16.3 +/- 0.23). The means and standard deviations of the zinc oxide content were: Konne (79.9 +/- 0.10), Tanari (81.9 +/- 0.07), Endopoint (81.3 +/- 0.40), Odous (79.7 +/- 0.26), Dentsply 0.04 (77.9 +/- 0.03), Dentsply 0.06 (78.2 +/- 0.07), Dentsply TP (69.8 +/- 0.19) and Dentsply FM (72.6 +/- 0.70). The method utilized was appropriate to quantify gutta-percha, wax/resin, zinc oxide and barium sulfate. Cone brands without barium sulfate were found. An unusual high wax/resin percentage was detected in Dentsply FM (p = 0.0003). Dentsply TP showed the highest gutta-percha percentage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, University of Fortaleza.
authors.forename: Cláudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maniglia-Ferreira
authors.forename: João Batista Araújo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Regina Célia Monteiro de
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Paula
authors.forename: Judith Pessoa Andrade
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Feitosa
authors.forename: Douglas Giordani Negreiros
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Cortez
authors.forename: Alexandre Augusto
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zaia
authors.forename: Francisco José de
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Souza-Filho
mesh_terms: D001466:Barium Sulfate / Q000032:analysis; D001938:Brazil; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D006171:Gutta-Percha / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001466:Barium Sulfate; D006171:Gutta-Percha; D015034:Zinc Oxide