Assessment of the quality of root canal filling using three different sealers: Micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscope study

Abstract Introduction: The quality of root canal obturation is determined by the ability to seal the root canal three dimensionally. This study aims to evaluate the quality of root canal obturation using new Endosequence BC-HiFlow (EBCHF) compared with Endosequence Bioceramic (EBC) and AH Plus (AHP) sealers for the parameters such as sealer volume and adaptation (microgaps/voids) at the sealer/dentin interface. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four single-root canals were instrumented and then obturated with either EBC (Group 1), EBCHF (Group 2), or AHP (Group 3) ( n = 8) in combination with single cone (EBC) or thermoplastic gutta-percha techniques (AHP and EBCHF). Sealer volume and microgaps/voids were measured at three root levels (coronal, middle, and apical) using micro-computed tomography. Three teeth from each group were randomly scanned using the scanning electron microscope to measure sealer film thickness. Analysis of variance, One-way analysis of variance, was used to compare the mean differences in sealer volume, microgaps volume, as well as sealer film thickness at the predefined root levels. Results: The EBC group had statistically significant more sealer volume at the coronal third and higher sealer film thickness at both coronal and middle thirds compared to EBCHF and AHP groups ( P ≤ 0.05). EBCHF group shows the least volume of microgaps/voids at the apical third, with no statistical significance among the three groups. Post hoc (Tukey’s) test showed statistically significant larger sealer thickness in EBC at coronal and middle thirds compared to EBCHF and AHP ( P < 0.0001). Sealer tags were found deeper in the AHP group when compared to the EBC and EBCHF groups. Conclusion: None of the sealers showed microgaps/void-free regions, with the least in EBCHF group in the apical third. In EBC obturation group, the part of the canal filled with sealer was larger than the other groups, which is explained by the single cone obturation.