EVALUATION OF A SOLVENT-SOFTENED GUTTA-PERCHA OBTURATION TECHNIQUE INCURVED CANALS

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of three obturat ion techniques in curved canals. Twenty-four sets of three (triplets) morphologically similar molars having root curvatures of 45 to 90+ deg rees were assembled, Following canal preparation, one sample from each group was obturated by either a halothane-dipped, a chloroform-dipped , or an untreated lateral condensation technique, Twenty triplets were cleared, evaluated, and graded for homogeneity of fill, canal wall ad aptation, and replication of internal anatomy, Four triplets had windo ws prepared to expose the apical 6 mm of filling and were viewed with scanning electron microscopy. Kruskal-Wallis test of cleared teeth ind icated a significant difference in favor of the solvent-softened techn iques (p = 0.01), There was no difference between chloroform- and halo thane-dipped groups (p = 0.03), Scanning electron microscope evaluatio ns of halothane-dipped samples revealed more homogeneous fills with gr eater canal replication than untreated gutta-percha, In addition, halo thane-treated samples had appreciably less surface porosity than chlor oform, Lateral condensation of halothane-treated gutta-percha was judg ed to be a viable obturation technique.