A Comparative Evaluation of the Apical Dimensional Variability of ISO Size 30 Gutta-Percha Cones With 0.04 and 0.06 Tapers From Two Different Manufacturers.

INTRODUCTION

Gutta-percha (GP) is the most commonly used core material in root canal obturation. This study aimed to evaluate the dimensional variability of ISO size 30 GP cones with 0.04 and 0.06 tapers from two different manufacturers: Ocean (Pearl Dent Co., Ltd., Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) and VDW.ROTATE (VDW GmbH, Munich, Germany).

METHODS

ISO size 30 GP cones with 0.04 and 0.06 tapers were assigned to four groups based on the taper and manufacturer, with 60 GP cones in each group. The GP cone diameters were measured at 1 mm (D1), 2 mm (D2), and 3 mm (D3) from the tip using digital image analysis. Diameter increments between D1-D2 and D2-D3 were calculated to assess the influence of the manufacturer and taper on dimensional variability.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found between manufacturers in the 0.04 taper group. In contrast, Ocean GP cones in the 0.06 taper group had significantly larger diameters at D1, D2, and D3 compared to VDW.ROTATE GP cones (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.005, respectively). VDW.ROTATE showed greater D2-D1 increases than Ocean at both tapers (p = 0.005 and p < 0.001) and a greater D3-D2 increase at the 0.06 taper (p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

It was found that there was significant dimensional variability in gutta-percha cones resulting from manufacturing differences and taper variations in ISO size 30 cones. These inconsistencies can adversely affect apical sealing and treatment outcomes, emphasizing the need to consider them when choosing GP cones for clinical use.