Comparison of dentinal tubule penetration of three different root canal sealers by confocal laser scanning microscopy

Aim: This study compared three different root canal sealers in terms of depth, area, and percentage of penetration into dentinal tubules. Methods: Sixty extracted human mandibular premolars were allocated into three groups, each containing twenty teeth, and filled with either AH Plus, MTA Fillapex, or Well Root ST root canal sealers, and gutta-percha. Horizontal sections were taken at a distance of 1, 4, and 7 mm levels from the apical of the teeth and examined under a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Statistical analysis of the data involved running a Kruskal–Wallis-H-test. Results: There was no significant difference between the sealers in the apical and middle sections (P > 0.05). The penetration area and depth in the coronal section were the lowest in the MTA Fillapex compared to the AH Plus sealer (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the sections in terms of penetration percentage (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The sealers presented similar dentinal penetration area, depth, and percentage on the middle and apical sections. In the coronal section, the values were high within three parameters.