Evaluation of the efficacy of filling material removal and re-filling after different retreatment procedures

Abstract

Abstract This study analyzed the influence of different retreatment protocols on amount of remaining filling material and amount of new sealer after endodontic retreatment. Forty mandibular molars with curved mesial roots were prepared with ProTaper Universal system, and filled with AH Plus sealer mixed with 0.1% rhodamine B and gutta-percha. After 7 days, the specimens were randomized according to the retreatment protocol (n = 10): ProTaper Retreatment System (PTR); PTR+Orange Oil (PTR+OO); PTR+Passive Ultrasonic Irrigation (PTR+PUI). No retreatment was performed in the control group (CG). After retreatment, the root canals were filled with AH Plus mixed with 0.1% fluorescein and gutta-percha. Samples were evaluated under confocal laser scanning microscopy and analyzed using Image J software. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests (p 0.05); however, PTR+PUI was associated with a lesser amount of residual filling material in the canal area analysis (p 0.05). It can be concluded that PTR associated to PUI yielded better results in removing root canal filling material from the canal area. However, none of the protocols resulted in root walls completely free of remnants.

Keywords

• Endodontics
• Microscopy, Confocal
• Retreatment
• Root Canal Filling Materials