DIMENSIONAL CHANGES OF ENDODONTIC SEALERS

The purpose of this study was a long-term comparison of the dimensiona l changes of endodontic sealers of diverse properties. The sealers wer e injected as thin layers on the internal walls of glass pipettes 1 mm in diameter. The pipettes were filled with deionized water, and the w ater meniscus levels were recorded periodically up to 180 days. The wa ter was removed from the pipettes, samples were allowed to dry, and th e mass and the volume of the sealers were measured. AH26 and Endo-Fill had an initial expansion followed by a volumetric loss: The two zinc oxide eugenol-based sealers studied started to shrink within hours aft er mixing; the first volumetric loss for AH26 was recorded during the first 30 days and for Endo-Fill after 30 days. The least dimensional c hange at any time was observed for Endo-Fill. It was concluded that a significant dimensional change and continued volume loss can occur in some endodontic sealers.