In vitro comparison of the apical microleakage of mineral trioxide aggregate [MTA] with amalgam as a retrograde filling material

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to compare apical microleakage of MTA with Amalgam following retrograde root filling. Experimental study. This study was conducted at the Department of Operative Dentistry, Fatima Jinnah Dental College and Hospital, Karachi March 2006-March 2007. One hundred twenty extracted human single rooted teeth were randomly assigned into four groups of 30 teeth each. The root canal filling carried out and retropreparations were cut in each root using round bur to a depth of 2-3 mm. Cavity varnish applied prior to retrofillings. Group I retrofilled with amalgam. In group II MTA was used, Group III served as negative control and group IV as a positive control. Roots were suspended in 2% methylene blue and placed into incubator at 37°C for 7 days. Teeth were split and chosen halve evaluated using a dissecting microscope at 10[x] magnification. The roots were evaluated and scored as either acceptable or unacceptable. The results showed that MTA displayed significantly less dye leakage than Amalgam. 24 samples [83%] out of 29 samples of MTA scored as acceptable, where as 4 specimens [16%] out of 28 samples of Amalgam showed acceptable score. MTA was found to be superior to Amalgam in providing apical seal when used as a root-end filling material. Favorable results were obtained with MTA in leakage study and it was concluded that MTA provided a better apical seal than Amalgam