A Scanning Electron Microscopy Study Comparing 3 Obturation Techniques to Seal Dentin to Root Canal Bioceramic Sealer in 30 Freshly Extracted Mandibular Second Premolars

Background: Obturation is a crucial step in dentistry, involving the filling and sealing of a prepared root canal with sealer and core material to prevent bacterial invasion and ensure successful treatment. This study employed scanning electron microscopy to compare the effectiveness of 3 obturation techniques - single-cone technique (SCT), cold lateral compaction technique (CLCT), and continuous-wave technique (CWT) - in sealing dentin to recent-ly introduced root canal bioceramic sealer in 30 extracted mandibular second premolars. The goal was to de -termine the optimal technique for minimizing gaps at the sealer-dentin interface.Material/Methods: Thirty premolars were divided into 3 groups (n=10 each) based on obturation technique: SCT, CLCT, and CWT. All groups used CeraSeal bioceramic root canal sealer. Root samples were sectioned at apical, middle, and cor-onal thirds, and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy was performed to measure marginal/internal gaps. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey range test, with P <= 0.05 considered statistically significant.Results: CWT showed fewer voids at all levels, with non-significant differences within a technique. Among the tech-niques, SCT had the largest mean gaps at all levels [apical (5.43 +/- 0.16), middle (5.28 +/- 0.20), coronal (5.73 +/- 0.24)], while CWT had the smallest mean gaps [apical (3.02 +/- 0.19), middle (2.95 +/- 0.14), coronal (2.76 +/- 0.15)]. The dif-ferences in means between techniques were statistically significant (P <= 0.05).Conclusions: CWT obturation with CeraSeal root canal sealer produces fewer marginal gaps at the sealer-dentin interface.