Outcome of endodontic treatment of teeth filled using lateral condensation versus vertical compaction (Schilder's technique)

Abstract

The purpose of this prospective clinical and radiographic investigation was to assess the treatment results following endodontic therapy of teeth filled with lateral condensation versus teeth filled with vertical compaction of warm gutta-percha. A total of 290 patients were treated using the standardized step-back technique for canal preparation, which were filled with either lateral condensation or vertical compaction in one single session. Five years later, the treatment results were assessed clinically and radiographically and related to the type of the obturation technique using Chi-square analysis. Of the 340 teeth that were reexamined, 160 teeth were filled with lateral condensation, and 180 teeth were filled with vertical condensation. The results showed a significantly higher success rate for the vertical compaction versus the lateral condensation technique of teeth presented with preoperative periapical lesions P<0.04. Regardless of the preoperative periapical status of the teeth, no statistically significant difference was found between the two techniques. The overall success rate of both filling techniques was 80.3%.