Micro-Computed Tomography Assessment of the Quality of Obturation (Voids) of Single-Canal Maxillary Second Premolars by the Lateral Compaction versus Continuous Warm Vertical Condensation Techniques.

Statement of the problem: One of the most important stages of root canal treatment is obturation for the root canal, an obturation with less voids will have fewer treatment complications in the future.

Purpose: This study was conducted to compare the quality of obturation of single-canal maxillary second premolars by the cold lateral compaction (CLC) versus continuous warm vertical condensation (CWVC) techniques using micro-CT.

Materials and method: In this experimental study, 36 extracted single-canal maxillary premolars were selected. The root canals were instrumented by Denco Blue rotary files. The teeth were randomly assigned to three groups (n=12) of control (no root filling), root canal obturation with CLC technique, and root canal obturation with CWVC technique. Next, they underwent micro-CT, and the mean volume and volume percentage (VP) of voids were calculated in the apical, middle, and coronal thirds of the root canals. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, the Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, Bonferroni, Dunnett, Tukey, and independent t-tests (p Value<0.05).

Results: In the coronal third, no significant difference was found between the CLC and CWVC groups in the mean volume of voids (p= 0.273), the mean volume of filled space (p= 0.419), or the VP of voids (p= 0.605). The highest mean volume and VP of voids were recorded in the coronal part of the group CWVC (p> 0.05). The lowest mean volume and VP of voids was recorded in the apical third in CWVC group (p< 0.05).

Conclusion: None of the obturation techniques could provide a void-free root filling. Two techniques showed no significant difference regarding the mean volume and VP of voids in obturation of single-canal maxillary second premolars.