History

To compare and evaluate the quality of obturation in simulated internal resorptive cavities using different guttaperchaobturation techniques namely, hybrid (combination of lateral and vertical compaction), ultrasonic compaction and thermo plasticized guttapercha technique and also to compare radiographic and stereomicroscopic methods to evaluate the quality of obturation.

Materials and Methods: Thirty extracted maxillary central incisors were instrumented at the working length to a #50 file. The roots were sectioned transversely with a diamond disc at 7 mm from the anatomical apex. At the opening of the root canal of each section, hemi-circular cavities were drilled with a specially designed bur. The corresponding root sections were cemented with glue, thus obtaining root canals with similar cavities that simulated internal resorption. The specimens were randomly separated into three groups of 10 each. The following obturation techniques were evaluated. Group A: Hybrid technique (combination of lateral and vertical compaction); Group B: Ultrasonic compaction (Satellac); Group C: Injectable thermo plasticized gutta-percha technique (Ultrafil). After obturation, the teeth were radiographed in buccolingual and mesiodistal directions to evaluate the quality of obturation at the Internal Resorptive Cavities (IRC). The incisors were then cut with a scalpel at the same levels as the previous section to examine the type of material that filled the Internal Resorptive Cavities, under a stereomicroscope.

Results: Ultrafil (thermo plasticized gutta-percha) gave the best result and in most of the specimens obturated with this technique, the IRC were filled mainly with gutta-percha. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that the difference between group C (Ultrafil) and the other groups A (Hybrid) and B (Ultrasonic) were significant (p<0.05)

Conclusion: Thermo plasticized guttapercha (Ultrafil) is the best obturating technique for internal resorptive cavities, as compared to hybrid and ultrasonic compaction technique. Ultrasonic compaction is better than hybrid technique for obturating internal resorptive defects. Stereomicroscopic evaluation is much better and precise method to evaluate the quality and nature of filling material in to the resorptive defect than the radiographic evaluation.