Clinical outcomes of patients following apical surgery with retrograde root-end filling using two different materials

In certain clinical cases where orthograde treatment of chronic apical periodontitis is either impossible or ineffective, apical surgery with retrograde filling is considered the preferred method. When selecting a retrograde filling material, key factors such as biocompatibility, ability to provide a reliable seal, ease of use, and availability are taken into account. Despite numerous studies investigating the influence of various retrograde filling materials on the outcomes of apical surgery, there is still no consensus on the most effective material. Therefore, further research in this area remains an important and relevant task. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and glass ionomer cement as retrograde filling materials. The study included 40 patients diagnosed with chronic apical periodontitis (ICD-10 code K04.5). Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: the first group (24 patients) received retrograde filling with the new material Dia-Root BioMTA, while the second group (16 patients) was treated with glass ionomer cement Ketac Cem. Healing dynamics were assessed using the periapical index (PAI) before surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The results demonstrated a significant and sustained reduction of inflammation in both groups, with no statistically significant differences between them, indicating comparable effectiveness of the materials used.