The quality of root fillings remaining in mandibular incisors after root-end cavity preparation

Aim The aim of this study was to determine the quality of root fillings rem aining in mandibular incisors after root-end resection and root-end cavity preparation. Methodology Roots of 40 mandibular incisors. 12 mm in length. were divided into two groups and instrumented using a balanced force technique and obtur ated by vertically compacted warm gutta-percha, in one group sealer was use d when back-filling the root canal with the Obtura System. The other group was also back-filled with the Obtura System but without sealer. The apical 4 mm of each root filling was removed by root-end resection and root-end ca vity preparation. Fluid transport along the 7 mm of remaining root filling was measured. After the leakage test, horizontal sections were cut at a lev el 3 mm from the apical end of the remaining root filling. The cross sectio nal area of the canal and gutta-percha was measured using an image analysis program. The quality of the remaining root fillings was also evaluated by calculating the percentage of gutta-percha filled canal area. Results In total, 27 (67%) out of the 40 roots demonstrated leakage, No sig nificant difference was found between the two groups (P = 0.265). In the cr oss-sections the bucco-lingual canal diameter was up to 2.6 mm long (mean 1 .6 mm). The average percentage of gutta-percha filled canal area was 85.6%. Warm gutta-percha could not obturate areas where debris remained after ins trumentation. Conclusions The quality of the root fillings in mandibular incisors was poo r, probably because the unprepared recesses of oval canals were not clean.