Apical and coronal seal of roots obturated with a dentine bonding agent and resin

The efficacy of sealing root canal systems with a dentine bonding agent and resin cement was compared with that of a glass ionomer sealer. Scanning electron microscopic examination of the bonding agent-dentine interface was also performed, The root canals of 50 single rooted teeth with mature apices were prepared chemomechanically and the smear layer removed with 17% REDTA and 5.25% NaOCl. Specimens were divided into two groups of 24 teeth each. One group had the dentine conditioned with a 10:3 citric acid-ferric chloride solution and obturated with the dentine bonding agent and resin, radiopaque C & B Metabond, The other group was obturated with the glass ionomer sealer, Ketac-Endo and a single cone of gutta-percha. After immersion in Indian ink for 90 h, the teeth were cleared and the quality of the apical and coronal seal was assessed using India ink dye penetration. There was a significantly better seal in both the apical and coronal directions when using the dentine bonding agent and resin obturation material. Scanning electron microscopic examination of the demineralized dentine and the C & B Metabond interface revealed the presence of the characteristic hybrid layer along with microtags of resin penetrating deep into the dentine tubules.