The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of different times of extraction on the cytotoxicity of six representatives of different root canal sealer groups-Real Seal SE, AH Plus, GuttaFlow, Sealapex, Roth 801, and ThermaSeal Plus-with human gingival fibroblasts. The materials were prepared according to manufacturers' specifications, and were incubated in culture medium (DMEM) at 37ºC for 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days, with daily washing, to simulate periodontal ligament clearance. Human fibroblasts were exposed to the final extracts at 24 hours, and cell viability was determined by MTT assay, with exposure to unconditioned DMEM as a negative control. Statistical analysis comparing cytotoxicities at each exposure time was performed by ANOVA with Scheffé adjustment for multiple comparisons at a 95% confidence level. Results indicated that GuttaFlow was significantly less cytotoxic than all other sealers (p < 0.05) at 1 day of extraction. After 7 days of extraction, cell viability for GuttaFlow was significantly increased as compared with that of all groups except sealer AH Plus. At day 14, cytotoxicity of Sealapex was significantly higher than that of all other sealers (p < 0.05). At days 21 and 28, there were no significant differences in cytotoxicity among sealer groups. All materials presented some level of cytotoxicity to fibroblasts, while GuttaFlow was the least cytotoxic sealer tested. However, the cytotoxicity of all materials seemed to decrease similarly in a time-dependent manner.

This study compared the coronal and apical leakage of AH Plus with gutta-percha to that of Epiphany with Resilon. Twenty-four single rooted teeth were instrumented and divided into 2 groups according to the solutions for smear layer removal and the obturation materials employed: Group A - 17% EDTA-T and AH Plus with gutta-percha; Group B - primer and Epiphany with Resilon. The Group B specimens were light-cured in the coronal area for 20 s. The external root surfaces were covered with a double layer of ethyl cyanoacrylate, except for the apical foramen and the cavity access. The teeth were immersed in 0.5% methylene blue for 48 h. The specimens were rinsed, dried and axially split for dye penetration measurement with the ImageLab 2.3 software. The t-test showed no significant differences for coronal leakage between the groups, but there were significant differences for apical leakage between the groups (P < 0.05). AH Plus with gutta-percha and Epiphany with Resilon provided the same coronal seal, whereas Epiphany with Resilon provided the best apical seal.

This study compared, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the efficacy of three solvents on the removal of filling materials from dentinal tubules during endodontic retreatment. Forty human maxillary canines with straight canals were prepared according to a crown-down technique and enlarged to a#30 apical file size, before obturation with gutta-percha and a zinc-oxide-eugenol based sealer. The samples were stored for 3 months before being randomly assigned to four groups: chloroform (n=10), orange oil (n=10), eucalyptol (n=10) and control (n=10). Solvents were applied to a reservoir created on the coronal root third using Gates Glidden drills. The total time for retreatment using the solvents was 5 minutes per tooth. Following retreatment the roots were split longitudinally for SEM evaluation. SEM images were digitized, analyzed using Image ProPlus 4.5 software, and the number of dentinal tubules free of filling material from the middle and apical thirds was recorded. No significant difference was found among the solvent groups regarding the number of dentinal tubules free of root filling remnants in the middle and apical root thirds (p>0.05). However, the control group had fewer dentinal tubules free of filling material (p<0.05). Under the tested conditions, it may be concluded that there was no significant difference among the solvents used to obtain dentinal tubules free of filling material remnants.

O presente estudo determinou in vitro a difusão da calcitonina sintética de salmão, como medicação intracanal, até a superfície externa radicular, com e sem a presença de cemento radicular. Foram utilizados cinqüenta e quatro incisivos centrais humanos, divididos em dois grupos com 21 dentes cada e dois grupos com 6 dentes cada (controle negativo). Após o preparo endodôntico, os dentes receberam 10 ml de calcitonina como medicação intracanal. Feitos o selamento e a impermeabilização externa da raiz, os espécimes foram acondicionados em tubos com solução salina tamponada com fosfatos e incubados em estufa a 37°C. Foram colhidas amostras da solução salina nos períodos de 1, 4 e 7 dias. Para a análise das soluções teste, utilizou-se teste ELISA. Os resultados mostram que existe a difusão da medicação testada até a superfície externa radicular em todas as amostras dos grupos teste. O fator ausência de cemento radicular permite a passagem de maiores quantidades de calcitonina, dados estatisticamente significantes ao nível de 5%. Os maiores valores de difusão foram encontrados no sétimo dia, tanto para o grupo com cemento como para o grupo sem cemento, mostrando uma relação direta entre tempo e difusão da medicação intracanal testada.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro diffusion of synthetic salmon calcitonin (CT), used as an intracanal medication, to the external root surface, with or without the presence of intact root cementum. Fifty-four human central incisors were used in the experiment, and were divided into two groups of 21 (test groups) and two groups of 6 teeth (control groups). After root canal preparation, 10 ml of calcitonin was inserted within the root canal chamber. The root was sealed and made externally impermeable. Specimens were then placed in tubes with saline solution buffered with phosphates and stored at 37°C. The diffusion of calcitonin was measured after 1, 4 and 7 days. To count calcitonin present at the external media (PBS), ELISA test (an antigen-antibody reaction) was used. Results showed that there was calcitonin diffusion through dentin in all of the test samples. The absence of cementum increased the diffusion of calcitonin (p=0.05). The highest counts of CT were obtained on day 7 for groups with or without cementum - showing a direct relation between time and diffusion of the medication.