title: Primary assessment of a self-adhesive gutta-percha material.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a prototype gutta-percha material (Bio-Gutta), which is claimed to work without sealer because of its incorporated ultrafine bioactive glass particles, in terms of its induction of pH and calcium phosphate (CaP) precipitates, and its self-adhesiveness in root canals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bio-Gutta was compared with conventional gutta-percha (GP, composition: 70 wt% ZnO, 30 wt% polyisoprene). Test and control materials (N = 3) were immersed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 37 °C for 30 days. The pH in the solution was monitored. Apparent CaP formation was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The root canals of 33 single-rooted teeth were filled by vertical compaction of heated Bio-Gutta, 33 control canals were filled with vertically compacted GP without sealer. Push-out bond strengths associated with the filling materials in root cross-sections from middle root thirds was determined 1, 8, and 30 days after root filling (N = 11 per group). These values were compared between groups using one-way anova (α < 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bio-Gutta induced a high pH in the PBS solution, which plateaued at values between 11.4 and 11.8. Apparent CaP crystals covered the Bio-Gutta material after 30 days of immersion in PBS, whilst no such structures were observed on GP. Both materials under investigation had similar initial push-out bond strength values (P > 0.05). The adherence of Bio-Gutta increased from day 1 to 8 and was significantly higher than that of conventional GP at 8 and 30 days (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The experimental gutta-percha material under investigation was alkaline and caused CaP precipitates on its surface. It improved its adherence to the root canal wall within 1 week.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Cariology, University of Zurich Center for Dental Medicine, Zurich, Switzerland. monika.marending@zzm.uzh.ch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marending
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bubenhofer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sener
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De-Deus
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002070:Butadienes; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D002516:Ceramics; D003460:Crystallization; D001840:Dental Bonding; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D006171:Gutta-Percha / Q000737:chemistry; D045782:Hemiterpenes; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008422:Materials Testing; D010420:Pentanes; D012389:Root Canal Obturation; D013997:Time Factors; D015034:Zinc Oxide
chemical_list: C022107:Bioglass; D002070:Butadienes; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D045782:Hemiterpenes; D010420:Pentanes; C005059:isoprene; D006171:Gutta-Percha; C020243:calcium phosphate; D015034:Zinc Oxide