title: In vitro evaluation of carrier based obturation technique: a CBCT study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of the study was to compare the ability of two different carrier based obturation (CBO) techniques to reach working length and fill in three-dimensions root canal systems, by using CBCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six extracted molars were scanned with CBCT and 40 curved canals were selected (between 30° and 90°) and divided in two similar groups (n=20). All canals were prepared up to size 25 taper .06 using nickel-titanium instrumentation. The canals in the Group SC were obturated using Soft-Core obturators (Kerr, Romulus, Mi, USA), while Group TH canals (n= 20) were obturated using Thermafil Endodontic Obturators (Tulsa Dental Products, Tulsa, OK, USA), strictly following manufacturers' instructions for use. The obturations were analyzed by means of CBCT to measure the distance from the apical limit of obturation to the apical foramen and the presence of voids inside root canals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between the two groups in the mean distance of the apical extent of the obturation (t test, p>0.05). Overfilling occurred in only 3 cases (2 in Group TH and 1 in Group SC). The percentages of voids in both groups were very low with no significant difference (Z test, p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The two tested CBO techniques showed similar positive results in terms of performance, even if, after checking with verifiers, in most cases the size of the selected Soft-Core obturator was one size smaller than Thermafil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gambarini
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics and Endodontics, University at Buffalo (NY), USA.
authors.forename: Lucila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Piasecki
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schianchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Nardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miccoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Al Sudani
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Giorgio
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Testarelli
keywords: Cone-beam Computed Tomography; Soft-Core; Thermafil; endodontic obturation