A COMPARATIVE SEALABILITY STUDY OF DIFFERENT RETROFILLING MATERIALS

The purpose of this study was to compare the sealing ability of high-c opper amalgam, glass ionomer cement, and silver glass ionomer cement a s retrofilling materials when used with and without varnish. Seventy e xtracted human single-rooted anterior teeth were instrumented and the root canals obturated with laterally condensed gutta-percha and sealer . The apical 3 mm of each root was resected and a 2 mm-deep apical Cla ss I preparation cut. The roots were then randomly allocated to six gr oups of 10 teeth and retrofilled with one of the experiment materials. Group I comprised high-copper amalgam, group 2, high-copper amalgam w ith cavity varnish; group 3, glass ionomer cement without varnish; gro up 4, glass ionomer cement with varnish: group 5, silver glass ionomer cement without varnish; and group 6, silver glass ionomer cement with varnish. Two groups of five roots each were used as positive and nega tive controls. The root surfaces were coated with nail polish and spec imens immersed in 2% methylene blue solution for 14 days. After vertic al sectioning, dye penetration was examined under a stereomicroscope. The results of the study were analysed statistically. The sealing abil ity of the conventional glass ionomer cement with varnish was signific antly better while dye penetration was higher in silver glass ionomer cement without varnish group than the other groups (P<0.01).