A COMPARISON OF 3 DIFFERENT ROOT-CANAL SEALERS WHEN USED TO OBTURATE A MOISTURE-CONTAMINATED ROOT-CANAL SYSTEM

Sealing ability of three classes of endodontic sealers, in moisture-co ntaminated canals, was evaluated, A total of 120 single-rooted extract ed teeth were divided into three groups, The groups were obturated wit h either Procosol, Sealapex, or Ketac-Endo using saline as a moisture contaminant in all cases, Half (20 teeth) of each group was placed in a saline storage medium for 9 months. The remainder of the samples wer e placed in India ink, under a vacuum, cleared, and the amount of dye penetration measured under magnification, The stored samples were simi larly treated after the 9-month storage period, In a moisture-contamin ated canal, Procosol exhibited the least amount of apical leakage, fol lowed by Sealapex, then Ketac-Endo, There was no significant differenc e in the amount of dye penetration after 9 months of storage over that found initially, which indicates that the deleterious effects of mois ture contamination occur during the initial placement and setting reac tion.