APICAL LEAKAGE FOLLOWING ROOT-CANAL DRESSING WITH CALCIUM HYDROXIDE

The purpose of this study was to analyse the apical leakage in teeth f illed by the lateral condensation technique following medication with calcium hydroxide. One hundred and twenty extracted human teeth were b iomechanically prepared by using exclusively reaming motion with files up to #40. Half of the teeth received a calcium hydroxide dressing fo r 3 days. The medication was removed by irrigation and reaming motion with files #40 up to #70. The teeth were divided in 6 experimental gro ups, according to the dimension of the utilized instrument. The root c anals were filled and posteriorly the teeth were placed into a 2% meth ylene blue dye solution inside a flask, which was attached to a vacuum pump. Leakage was measured linearly, and the results showed significa ntly (p<0.01) less leakage in the experimental groups that received ca lcium hydroxide dressings than in the control groups. The results pers isted even after the removal of 300 mu m of dentin from the root canal dentinal walls.