Comparison of Sealing Ability of Three Root Canal Sealers Using a New Quantitative Method with Glucose

Objective: To assess the sealing ability of three root canal sealers by a new quantitative method using glucose. Methods: 72 straight human maxillary anterior teeth were divided randomly into three experimental groups of 20 samples each and two control groups. The experimental groups were prepared using the modified double-flared technique and obturated by lateral compaction of cold gutta-percha with Pulp Canal Sealer EWT, Sealapex, or AH Plus sealer. Control groups included 6 positive controls and 6 negative controls. The coronal part of each root was immersed in 1mol/L glucose solution and apical part in 1ml distilled water. Glucose solution was forced under a 15 cm pressure toward the apical part of the root. Leakage along the root filling was measured by the concentration of glucose in apical reservoir at 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 15, 20, and 30days with GOD (glucose oxidase) method. Results: Leakage was high in the positive controls and could not be detected in the negative controls. The leakage was not significantly different among three test groups at 1, 2, 4, and 7 days (P0.05). From the 10th day, Pulp Canal Sealer EWT showed the highest leakage(P0.001), and the difference between Sealapex and AH Plus was not significant (P0.05). Conclusion: Pulp Canal Sealer EWT showed more leakage than Sealapex and AH Plus at the most observation time.