Evaluation of dimensional changes in EndoSeal mineral trioxide aggregate and AH Plus sealers using micro-computed tomography imaging

Abstract

Background: Optimal dimensional stability is required for successful root canal treatment. A sealant called EndoSeal mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) was recently introduced to the market due to its favorable physical and chemical properties. On the other hand, AH Plus (AHP) is considered the gold-standard seal. Materials and Methods: In this ex vivo quasi-experimental study, 24 single-canal premolars extracted from humans were cleaned and shaped with a motorized and rotary file, then that is divided into two groups. The teeth of each group were filled with gutta F3 and each type of sealant. The teeth were scanned by a micro-computed tomography device after 24 h. After 7 days of storage in phosphate-buffered saline solution, the samples were re-scanned. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 21). Descriptive data were presented as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The Shapiro–Wilk and Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests were used to investigate the normality of the data. The Mann–Whitney test was used to compare the two groups, and the differences were ultimately not significant. The level of significance was set at 0.05 (P < 0.05). Results: The mean differences between sealer volumes before and after the intervention were not significantly different between the two groups indicating that the EndoSeal MTA sealer is not inferior to the gold-standard root canal sealer, AHP. Conclusion: EndoSeal MTA can be considered a reliable sealer in endodontic treatments and be subjected to further investigation.

Keywords

• dental pulp cavity
• epoxy resin-based root canal sealer
• mineral trioxide aggregate
• x-ray microtomography