APICAL LEAKAGE AFTER ROOT-CANAL FILLING WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL CALCIUM HYDROXIDE GUTTA-PERCHA POINT

This study was an in vitro analysis of the apical seal of root canals filled with an experimental calcium hydroxide gutta-percha point, One hundred and ten recently extracted human permanent teeth with a single root were used, The root canals were biomechanically prepared, and so me received a dressing of calcium hydroxide for 7 days, Root canals no t dressed were filled by the lateral condensation technique with eithe r regular gutta-percha or calcium hydroxide gutta-percha points, The d ressed root canals were filled with the same sealers and regular gutta -percha points, The specimens were placed into a 2% methylene blue dye solution under vacuum, and the apical leakage was linearly evaluated, The experimental groups with calcium hydroxide dressing and the one w ith calcium hydroxide gutta-percha points exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) less leakage than the groups filled with regular gutta-percha p oints, The results obtained indicated that calcium hydroxide gutta-per cha points produced an improvement in the apical sealing quality of th e root canal filling.