Abstract
A hermetic seal of the root canal space following canal preparation is important in endodontics. This study evaluated the effect of canal curve on adaptation of gutta-percha to dentinal walls of canals obturated using the Herofill system. For this in vitro study, 80 mesial roots of mature human first molars with length of 16 mm, curve between 5° and 45°, and no caries or resorption of the root surface were selected. A cone beam computed tomography system was used to evaluate the presence or absence of a gap in the samples. Photographs were taken in three sections: 2 mm above the curve, at the curve and 2 mm below the curve. The gap area was identified using Photoshop and AutoCAD software. Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used to analyze the data mounted in a castcurve. There were significant differences between the two lateral condensation groups with various curves; roots with more curve had more gaps. When the Herofill and lateral condensation groups were compared without considering the sections and curve, there was a significant difference between these groups and the Herofill group had less gaps. The Herofill system is an alternative to the lateral condensation technique in severely curved canals. (J Oral Sci 53, 43-50, 2011)
