STEREOMICROSCOPIC AND SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPIC STUDY OF ROOTS OBTURATED WITH VERTICALLY CONDENSED GUTTA-PERCHA, EPOXY-RESIN CEMENT, AND DENTIN BONDING AGENT

Root canal fillings performed with dentin bonding agent, gutta-percha, and epoxy resin sealer were observed by stereomicroscope. Fourteen pa latal roots of extracted maxillary molars were used. Seven roots (grou p 1) were filled with gutta-percha, epoxy resin sealer, and dentin bon ding agent. Seven (group 2) were filled with gutta-percha and epoxy re sin sealer alone. The presence of these materials (gutta-percha, adhes ive, cement, and a combination of these materials) and the number of v oids present were evaluated in the apical, middle, and coronal thirds of the canals, In group 1, a combination of the three materials used w as found to be the statistically most frequent case only in the apical third. No statistically significant difference was found between the overall number of voids present in the two groups. The resin-dentin-gu tta-percha interface of roots from group 1 was observed by scanning el ectron microscopy: no statistically significant difference was found b etween apical and coronal sections regarding the presence of hybrid la yer, penetration of resin into the dentinal tubules, or the presence o f gaps in either the dentin-resin interface or the resin-gutta-percha interface.