In vitro evaluation of bacterial leakage resistance of an ultrasonically placed mineral trioxide aggregate orthograde apical plug in teeth with wide open apexes: a preliminary study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare the sealing ability of an ultrasonically placed orthograde mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) apical plug in open apices.


METHODS
Thirty extracted human maxillary incisors were used. Experimental teeth were instrumented up to #100 file at the apex, and the 5 mm MTA apical barrier was placed with (group A; n = 11) or without (group B; n = 11) ultrasonic activation. Eight teeth served as control group. Bacterial leakage was assessed daily for 180 days using a double-chamber bacterial leakage model with Enterococcus faecalis. The results were analyzed with Fisher exact test.


RESULTS
After 60 days, the ratio of leaked samples showed significant difference between groups A (2 out of 10) and B (8 out of 11) (P < .05). The mean time elapsed before leakage showed significant difference between groups A (158 days) and B (23 days) (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasonically placed orthograde MTA apical plugs were effective at delaying bacterial leakage.
Kim
Un-Sung
US
Department of Conservative Dentistry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Shin
Su-Jung
SJ
Chang
Seok Woo
SW
Yoo
Hyun-Mi
HM
Oh
Tae-Seok
TS
Park
Dong Sung
DS