The comparison of microbial leakage in roots filled with resilon and gutta-percha: An in vitro study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare bacterial leakage using streptococcus mutans through gutta-percha and a thermoplastic synthetic polymer based root canal filling material (Resilon) using two filling techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 90 single-rooted extracted human teeth were subjected for the study. Teeth were divided into 6 groups of 10 and 3 control groups of 10 teeth each. All the samples were decoronated and the coronal surfaces of the roots were prepared perpendicular to the long axis of the root with a high-speed handpiece and a multipurpose bur using air water spray. The length of all the roots was prepared approximately 16 mm from the coronal surface to the apex of the root. Roots were filled using lateral and vertical condensation techniques with gutta-percha and AH26 sealer (Group 1 and 2) or with gutta-percha and epiphany sealer (Group 3 and 4). Group 5 and 6 were filled with Resilon and epiphany sealer using the lateral and vertical condensation techniques. A split chamber microbial leakage model was used in which S. mutans placed in the upper chamber could reach the lower chamber only through the filled root canal. Group 7 and 8 (positive control) were filled with Resilon and gutta-percha without sealer and tested with bacteria, whereas Group 7 (negative control) was sealed with wax to test the seal between the chambers. Data were analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis test and Mann–Whitney U test. RESULTS: All positive groups (Group 7 and 8) showed leakage within 1 hour of the start of the study (100%), whereas none of the negative control (Group 9) leaked. The roots obturated with Resilon and epiphany (Group 5 and 6) showed minimal leakage, i.e., each with 6 leakages, which was significantly less than gutta-percha (Group 1–4), in which approximately 80% of specimens with either sealer or techniques leaked. Kruskal–Wallis test showed statistical significance when all groups were compared (P<0.05). Mann–Whitney U test compared the respective groups and found Resilon groups superior to gutta-percha groups (P<0.05). INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the new polymer-based Resilon and epiphany sealer using two obturating techniques, i.e., lateral as well as vertical condensation found to be significantly better than the gutta-percha.