COMPARISON OF THE SEALING ABILITY OF LASER-SOFTENED, LATERALLY CONDENSED AND LOW-TEMPERATURE THERMOPLASTICIZED GUTTA-PERCHA

This study compared the effectiveness of four different techniques use d for obturation of single rooted-teeth: lateral condensation, low-tem perature gutta-percha (Ultrafil), vertical condensation of gutta-perch a softened by means of three different laser devices (argon, CO2, and Nd:YAG), or composite resin photopolymerized by argon laser. Seventy s ingle-rooted teeth were instrumented using a step-back technique and o bturated using one of the methods listed previously. To evaluate apica l sealing effectiveness techniques, samples were subjected to 1% methy lene blue dye at 37 degrees C for 7 days. The most extensive dye penet ration (4.3 mm) was observed in teeth obturated with composite resin, followed by gutta-percha lased with CO2 (2.15 mm), and the Nd:YAG lase r (3.54 mm). Gutta-percha softened with argon laser created an apical seal almost identical to that obtained with the lateral condensation a nd Ultrafil techniques (1.50, 1.45, and 1.48 mm of leakage, respective ly). These results indicate that the argon laser can be used for gutta -percha softening to produce good apical sealing results.