The effect of the canal-filled area on the bacterial leakage of oval-shaped canals.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the sealing ability and the canal-filled area (gutta-percha + sealer) of three current filling techniques in oval-shaped canals.


METHODS
A total of 50 oval-shaped root canals were prepared and root filled as follows: G1: lateral condensation (n = 10), G2: System B (n = 10) and G3: Thermafil system (n = 10). All teeth were mounted in a two-chamber apparatus and the coronal access was exposed to human saliva. The appearance of turbidity in the BHI broth over a 15-week period was observed. A cross section of each tooth was made 5 mm from the apex and the samples were prepared for microscopic analysis. Digital image measurements of the cross-sectional area and the area filled by gutta-percha and sealer were performed. Log-rank and Fisher's exact tests were used to analyse the leakage data. Student's t-test was used to analyse the filled-area data.


RESULTS
Overall, 30% of the specimens of G1 and G2 and 20% of G3 demonstrated leakage after 15 weeks and no significant difference was found amongst the groups (P > 0.05). The percentage of canal-filled area was 68, 70 and 78%, respectively (P > 0.05). The correlation analysis revealed no significant relation between the pattern of bacterial leakage and canal-filled area (P = 0.128).


CONCLUSIONS
No significant difference in apical sealing and canal-filled area in oval-shaped canals was seen between the three filling techniques. No significant correlation was found between the quality of the apical seal and the filled-area of the root canal space.
De-Deus
G
G
Department of Endodontics, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. endogus@gmail.com
Murad
C
C
Paciornik
S
S
Reis
C M
CM
Coutinho-Filho
T
T
D003763:Dental Leakage / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D012389:Root Canal Obturation / Q000379:methods*; D018915:Root Canal Preparation; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials