A comparison between a new vacuum obturation technique and lateral condensation: an in vitro study.

A new machine that allows cleaning root canals without conventional instruments has been introduced. Because this noninstrumented technique does not enlarge the root canal system, a new device had to be developed to fill the root canal system. The new machine was able to produce a vacuum that allowed proper drying and filling of a root canal system. This study evaluated the new vacuum filling method and compared it with lateral condensation. Canals of 40 extracted human molars, instrumented using the step-back technique, were either filled with the new vacuum obturation technique using AH26 sealer and a gutta-percha single cone or by lateral condensation. Teeth were coated with wax and placed into India ink for 7 days. The wax was then removed and the teeth were cleared. All teeth were evaluated for linear dye penetration using a x20 viewer. Obturation with the new vacuum technique resulted in significantly less leakage than lateral condensation.