Comparative evaluation of sealing ability of three root canal sealers with and without smear layer removal

Abstract EN

Background : Successful root canal treatment requires a complete obturation of the root canal system, the study of the sealing ability of different sealers especially the newly introduced ones will be of value for proper root canal treatment.

Moreover, the sealing quality of these sealers in the presence or absence of smear layer may be of additional benefit.

Objective : This study was designed to evaluate the sealing ability of three root canal sealers namely End fill, GuttaFlow, Endo REZ .with removal of the smear layer or not.

Materials and Methods : A total number of 120 human single rooted teeth were collected for the study.

Their root canals were cleaned and shaped using crown down technique using Profile .04 taper rotary files, samples were divided into two equal main groups according to the irrigating solution used as final rinse.

Samples of Gl had the smear layer preserved due to irrigation with 5.25% NaOCl solution.

Samples of G2 had the smear layer removed due to irrigation with 17% EDTA solution.

Each main group subdivided into four equal subgroups according to the sealer used for obturation.

Samples of subgroup A obturated with Zinc Oxide and eugenol based sealer (Endofill), Samples of subgroup B obturated with Silicon based sealer (GuttaFlow), Samples of subgroup C obturated with resin based sealer (Endo REZ) and Endo REZ master cone, samples of subgroup D obturated with Endo REZ and Gutta-Percha master cone .The stereomicroscope (magnification x20) was used to determine dye penetration depth in millimeter.

Results and Conclusion : The measurements showed that Zinc Oxide & eugenol based sealer (Endofill) had the highest leakage values between the other sealers in both conditions, Silicon based sealer (GuttaFlow) had the least leakage values which was significant from leakage values of (Endofill) and (Endo REZ with gutta percha master point)) but was not significant from (Endo REZ and Endo REZ master cone).

The smear layer removal using 17% EDTA solution did not significantly improve the sealing ability of the tested sealers.