Evaluation of extrusion and apical seal of thermafil™ obturation with and without mta as an apical barrier in comparison with lateral condensation technique: An in vitro study

Abstract

Aim and objective: This study aimed to compare the apical sealing ability and periapical extrusion in the Thermafil™ obturation technique, with and without an apical barrier of MTA, with lateral condensation technique. Materials and methods: Sixty freshly extracted human central incisors were instrumented with the crown down technique and divided into three experimental groups. Group I: Lateral condensation technique obturation, group II: Thermafil obturation (DENTSPLY Tulsa), and group III: This group was obturated into two parts; first MTA (ProRoot) was placed in apical 3 mm and later the remaining canal was obturated with Thermafil™ obturation technique (DENTSPLY Tulsa). AH Plus sealer was used in all the groups. Specimens of all the groups were layered with nail paint excluding the apical 3 mm. Twenty-four hours later, all the teeth were suspended in Black India ink for 48 hours. Finally, all the teeth were decalcified, rendered transparent and linear dye leakage and periapical extrusion was measured using ×60 magnification of stereomicroscope with an in-built ruler. Results: A Chi-square test done to evaluate periapical extrusion showed there was a significant difference found among all the groups (p < 0.05), whereas in case of linear apical dye leakage using a Student’s “t” test showed there was no significant difference among all the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Despite showing apical leakage, the thermo-plasticized gutta-percha obturation technique can be advantageous when used with MTA as an apical barrier since there is no scope for apical extrusion along with the benefit of three-dimensional obturation of the root canal system when compared with the lateral condensation technique.