title: Lack of correlation between sealer penetration into dentinal tubules and sealability in nonbonded root fillings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the correlation between leakage and sealer penetration into dentinal tubule.
  
  
  METHODS
  The root canal of 60 mandibular central incisor teeth were prepared and filled under standardized conditions. Teeth were placed into a device to assess glucose penetration using 15 psi pressure application. After 1 h, glucose concentrations in the lower chamber were measured using an enzymatic reaction. Each specimen was then sectioned horizontally at 3, 6 and 8 mm from the apex, and a standard metallographic preparation was performed. The coronally facing surface of each slice was examined in a high-resolution stereomicroscope and under Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope. For each slice, the external outline of the root canal, the internal circumference of the root canal walls and the areas along the canal walls where the sealer had penetrated into the dentinal tubules (sealer tags) were outlined and measured. Afterwards, the percentage of the sealer penetration in each section was calculated. The Spearman correlation test was used to verify the correlation between the variables studied (glucose leakage and sealer penetration into dentinal tubules).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The means and standard deviations of glucose leakage were 0.744 g L(-1) (±0.5), and the percentage of the dentinal tubule sealer penetration varied between teeth from 5.6% to 42.21%, with an average of 13.7 ± 17.2%. The Spearman correlation test revealed no significant correlation between the two factors analysed (P = 0.082). The r(2) value was equal to 0.12.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant correlation between sealability sealer penetration into dentinal tubules. The lack of correlation reported is of relevance as sealer penetration into dentinal tubules has been used as an advantageous property during the launch of new root filling materials and techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Grande Rio University, Av. Henrique Dodsworth 85, Lagoa, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. endogus@gmail.com
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De-Deus
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paciornik
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fidel
mesh_terms: D003763:Dental Leakage; D003806:Dentin Permeability; D005947:Glucose; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor; D008437:Maxilla; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D012389:Root Canal Obturation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D005947:Glucose