An In Vitro Comparative Evaluation of Three Different Solvents in the Retreatment of Teeth Obturated using Bioceramic Sealer.

Aim: To evaluate the efficiency of three solvents in achieving patency in teeth obturated using bioceramic sealer (BCS) and to assess the effect of these solvents on the root canal wall dentine.

Materials and methods: Twenty-one extracted single-canal mandibular premolars extracted for orthodontic purposes were selected for the study. The teeth were randomly divided into three groups (n = 7) based on the solvent used: Group I-Chloroform, group II-10% citric acid, and group III-xylene. After establishing the working length, the teeth were then instrumented and obturated using Gutta percha (GP) and BCS. Two weeks later, GP was removed, and apical patency was re-accessed with a 10-C file and the respective solvent. The time to gain patency through BC Sealer was recorded. Nine teeth (three per group) were irrigated with these solvents, and scanning electron microscopy was used to evaluate the effect of solvents on the dentin. The Kruskal-Wallis and Dunnett-Bonferroni tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results: Patency was achieved for all samples, except for two in the chloroform group and one in the 10% citric acid group. The median (IQR) of time in group I was 60 (25-300) seconds, that of group II was 9 (6.25-10) seconds, and that of group III was 5.77 (3.66-34.34) seconds. The median time was higher in the chloroform group compared to the other groups. Kruskal-Wallis' test showed a significant difference between the three groups (p = 0.011). And on pairwise comparison, group I with group II (p = 0.017) and group III (p = 0.010) showed statistically significant differences. But there was no statistically significant difference between groups II and III (p = 1.000). Considering the scanning electron microscope evaluation, xylene caused a significant amount of open tubules in dentine, without any detritus and the smear layer covering the root surface when compared to 10% citric acid and chloroform.

Conclusion: Xylene and 10% citric acid were more efficient than chloroform for dissolving the BCS. Statistically, there is no significant difference between xylene and 10% citric acid in achieving patency. Group III, in which xylene was used as the GP solvent, showed a significant amount of erosion compared to the other two groups.

Clinical significance: Although BC sealer offers many advantages, the retreatment of teeth obturated with these sealers is often challenging due to its hygroscopic expansion, hard setting, and adhesion with root canal wall dentine. Solvent-assisted retreatment is less invasive, more convenient, and less time-consuming when compared with mechanical methods. Nevertheless, there is currently no efficient and practical solvent for BCSs. How to cite this article: Johnson MA, Joseph A, Prabath Singh VP, et al. An In Vitro Comparative Evaluation of Three Different Solvents in the Retreatment of Teeth Obturated using Bioceramic Sealer. J Contemp Dent Pract 2025;26(4):403-408.