ROOT POSITIONING AND LEAKAGE TO DYE IN EXTRACTED TEETH USING REDUCED PRESSURE

A study was conducted in vitro to assess the root apex position on lea kage to dye under reduced pressure (560 mm Hg), A total of 132 extract ed single-rooted teeth were randomly allocated to four groups, The tee th were prepared using a step-back technique and sealed with the cold lateral condensation technique, using gutta-percha without sealer. No significant differences (P < 0.813) were found between horizontally po sitioned experimental groups under reduced pressure and those in passi ve immersion, In the group in which the apices were in an upright posi tion, the mean leakage was significantly different (P < 0.024) from th e mean dye penetration in the group of teeth positioned horizontally u nder reduced pressure, Those teeth with apices upright allowed the mos t linear leakage (0.51 mm), whereas the groups in which the roots were horizontally positioned (with and without reduced pressure) had the l east dye penetration (0.21 mm and 0.19 mm, respectively), These result s show that tooth positioning has a significant effect on linear dye p enetration under reduced pressure and emphasize the need to standardiz e factors that may influence penetration when assessing leakage study methodology.