Coronal microleakage of five materials used to create an intracoronal seal in endodontically treated teeth

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively compare the sealing effectiveness of five restorative materials that were used to create an intracoronal double seal. Fifty-two extracted mandibular molars were randomly divided into five groups of 10 teeth, and one positive and one negative control tooth. The crowns were removed and the pulpal floor and canal orifices were sealed with 3 mm of one of the following materials: Amalgabond, C&B Metabond, One-Step Dentin Adhesive with Æliteflo composite, One-Step with Palfique composite, or intermediate restorative material (IRM). Each tooth was affixed to a fluid filtration device and the seal was evaluated at 0, 1, 7, 30, and 90 days. The results showed a significant (p = 0.0001) difference in leakage between the materials. At 7 days, IRM, Æliteflo, and Palfique leaked significantly more than Amalgabond or C&B Metabond. Amalgabond consistently produced the best seal of all the materials throughout the duration of the study.