Erdogan Elvis Șachir, Gheorghe Raftu, Mihaela Duță, Cristina Bartok-Nicolae, Elena Claudia Sin, Steliana Gabriela Buștiuc, Cristina Gabriela Pușcașu, Aureliana Caraiane
DOI : 10.62610/RJOR.2025.2.17.39
ABSTRACT
Background: An effective apical seal is critical for preventing microleakage and ensuring long-term success in endodontic therapy. Among the materials used for root-end fillings, Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) and Glass Ionomer Cement (GIC) are frequently employed due to their biological and mechanical properties. However, their sealing capabilities remain a topic of debate.
Aim: The present ex vivo study aimed to compare the apical sealing ability of MTA and GIC using dye penetration analysis and stereomicroscopy.Materials and Methods: Thirty extracted single-rooted human teeth were prepared and divided into two groups (n=15). Apical plugs of 3 mm were placed using ProRoot MTA and conventional GIC. After 72 hours of setting, samples were immersed in 2% methylene blue for 48 hours. Dye penetration was measured under 25× stereomicroscopy. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test (p < 0.05).
Results: MTA exhibited a mean dye penetration score of 0.30 ± 0.46, while GIC showed a higher mean score of 0.57 ± 0.50. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.039), indicating that MTA provided a more effective apical seal under the conditions of this ex vivo study. Moreover, MTA samples showed less variability in leakage scores compared to GIC.Conclusion: Within the limitations of this ex vivo study, GIC showed better apical sealing ability than MTA under the tested conditions. Nevertheless, MTA remains a reliable and well-established material in endodontic practice. Further in vivo studies using advanced imaging are recommended.
Loading...
Reload document 
Open in new tab