Assessment of volume and depth loss of incompletely set hydraulic calcium silicate cements used as root-end fillings in a simulated surgical model

Root-end filling materials often face environmental exposure before completely setting, which may alter their properties compared to completely set samples in most studies. This in-vitro study evaluated the volumetric changes and depth of material loss of three incompletely set hydraulic calcium silicate cements in a simulated root-end filling model. Thirty prepared human mandibular premolars with retrograde cavities were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10), each filled with ProRoot MTA, Biodentine, or Endosequence root repair material fast-set putty (ERRM-FSP), and submerged in phosphate-buffered saline. Micro-CT assessed changes at 15 min, 24 h, 7 days, 14 days, and 30 days after root-end filling. All materials exhibited volumetric reduction and depth loss over time. At 24 h, Biodentine exhibited the highest volumetric change. At 30 days, ProRoot MTA and Biodentine had significantly higher depth loss than ERRM-FSP, which showed the least change in both parameters. This study suggests ERRM-FSP offers superior volumetric stability as a root-end filling material in surgical situations, making it a potentially better choice compared to ProRoot MTA and Biodentine.