Evaluating periapical and periodontal health in root canal treated teeth using various obturation methods

Effective root canal obturation is critical for preventing reinfection and ensuring long-term periapical and periodontal health. This randomized controlled trial evaluated 120 mandibular molars treated with cold lateral compaction (CLC), warm vertical compaction (WVC), or single-cone with bioceramic sealer (SBC). At 12 months, WVC showed significantly greater PAI score reduction (2.85 ± 0.51) and higher complete healing rates (87.5%) compared to CLC (65.0%) and SBC (72.5%) (p=0.018). Periodontal parameters (PD, CAL, BOP, PI) improved significantly across all groups with no inter-group differences. Thus, we show WVC offers superior periapical healing while maintaining periodontal stability.