A comparative evaluation of three root-end filling materials: an in vitro leakage study using Prevotella nigrescens.

This study used Prevotella nigrescens to evaluate the sealing ability of Geristore, Super-EBA, and ProRoot when used as root-end filling materials. One hundred single-canal, extracted, human teeth were cleaned and shaped with Gates-Glidden burs and .04 Taper (ProFile Series 29) rotary instruments. The root-ends were resected, and a 3-mm deep root-end preparation was made with ultrasonic tips. After steam sterilization, the teeth were randomly divided into three groups of 30. Each group was root-end-filled with a different material. Five root-end cavities were left open and served as positive controls; another five root-end cavities filled with sticky wax and covered with two layers of nail polish acted as negative controls. The teeth were attached to presterilized snap-on plastic caps; the root-ends submerged into 12-ml vials of chopped meat carbohydrate broth and placed in an anaerobic chamber. Twice a week, a sterile micropipette was used to inoculate 0.1 ml of a broth culture of Prevotella nigrescens into the root canal of each tooth. Results after 47 days indicated there were no significant differences between the three root-end filling materials against penetration of Prevotella nigrescens.