Assessment of marginal stability and permeability of an interim restorative endodontic material

The purpose of this study was to assess the marginal stability and permeability of a new interim restorative endodontic material, Tempit (Centrix Inc., Milford, Conn.), and to compare the findings with the results of two commonly used restorative endodontic materials, Cavit (Premier Dental Products Co., Philadelphia, Pa.) and IRM (Intermediate Restorative Material Capsules, The Caulk Co., Division of Dentsply International Inc., Milford, Del.) This study was performed in several steps. First, the endodontic access cavities were prepared and restored on 80 extracted mandibular molars. The samples were exposed to methylene blue dye solution for 6 days, thermocycled, and sectioned; the dye penetration and diffusion were measured along the margins and into the body of the materials. The second experiment was a special study performed in standardized glass tubes to better evaluate the marginal and body dye penetration into the materials by increasing the length of the fillings. To eliminate the possibility of phygroscopic setting mechanisms of materials, samples were first allowed to set under water before dye was introduced. Cavit and Tempit showed a substantial amount of dye diffusion into the body of the materials. Cavit exhibited the best sealing ability at all times. The marginal and body dye penetration were significantly different for the Tempit material in all experiments than Cavit (p < 0.001). IRM demonstrated the least body penetration of all three materials (p < 0.001) but had a substantial marginal leakage not significantly different from the results of the Tempit material (p = 0.6 and p = 0.1). Preset and postset samples of Cavit and Tempit materials exhibited no significant changes in their behavior with respect to the dye diffusion. On the basis of the findings in this study, Tempit and IRM seem less appropriate as interim endodontic restorations compared with Cavit.