2019 Volume 62 Issue 6 Pages 279-285
Purpose: MetaSEAL Soft is a self-adhesive root canal sealer that is easy to use, less susceptible to root canal irrigants and moisture, and advantageously starts polymerization from the root canal wall, so high sealing ability can be expected. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of root canal filling using MetaSEAL Soft.
Methods: This study retrospectively investigated patients who had root canals filled with MetaSEAL Soft between October 2013 and May 2019 at six dental clinics. The following data from all patients were analyzed: age, sex, tooth type, diagnosis, treatment history, apical lesions by dental X-ray photograph, spontaneous pain, percussion pain, swelling, tenderness, sinus tract, treatment method, and root canal filling method. The teeth were classified into three groups according to the radiolucency on dental X-ray photographs before and after root canal filling: (1) normal, (2) reduced, (3) increased or no change. Outcomes were defined as success if X-ray examination results were classified as (1) or (2) with normal clinical presentation, or failure if the results were classified as (3), even when the clinical presentation was normal, or clinical signs or symptoms were present, even if the radiographs appeared normal. Success rates were calculated separately for pulpectomy and infected root canal treatment by the Kaplan-Meier method. The success rate of infected root canal treatment was further calculated according to the presence or absence of preoperative lesions and the history of endodontic treatment.
Results: Data from 197 patients (52.0±15.1 years old) and a total of 381 teeth were analyzed. Pulpectomy was performed for 86 teeth and infected root canal treatment for 295 teeth. Apical radiolucency was observed in 115 teeth before treatment, of which 31 were initial treatment and 84 were retreatment. The observation period was up to 5 years (average, 3.5 years). The success rate of pulpectomy was 97.6% after 1 year, 96.4% after 2 years, and 96.4% after 5 years. The success rates of root canal treatment without lesions were 98.9%, 98.9%, and 95.3%, respectively. The success rates of initial treatment with lesions were 64.5%, 92.9%, and 92.9%, and those of retreatment with lesions were 45.2%, 60.7%, and 75.7% after 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively.
Conclusion: The success rates of root canal filling using MetaSEAL Soft were high for both pulpectomy and infected root canal treatments, and remained high over a 5-year observation period.
