Aim: To assess the microleakage of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) repair high plasticity (HP), EndoSequence root repair material (ESRRM) putty, and Biodentine, when used as an apical plug in immature permanent teeth.
Materials and methods: In an in vitro model, 55 extracted maxillary incisors were decoronated and resected 3 mm apically to obtain standardized 15-mm root blocks, which were then cleaned and shaped. All samples had a 1.1-mm standardized, prepared artificial open apex. The teeth were arbitrarily designated into three experimental groups (n = 15) and two control (positive/negative) groups (n = 5). In the experimental groups, orthograde 4-mm thick apical plugs of Biodentine (group I), ESRRM putty (group II), and MTA repair HP (group III) were placed. Positive control samples were left vacant while negative control samples were filled with Biodentine. The bacterial leakage method was used to appraise the sealing efficiency of the cements.
Results: Statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software, version 21.0, was used for data analysis. Post hoc Tukey's test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and repeated measures of ANOVA were used for intergroup and intragroup comparisons. On day 1, there was a significant difference between the groups, with group II showing the least and group 1 showing the maximum microleakage. No significant difference among the groups was seen at other observational periods. There was a tendency for leakage to increase significantly from day 1 to 7, then decrease till the end of the experimental period.
Conclusion: It was concluded that the three materials evaluated, with time, exhibited comparable apical microleakage when treating teeth with open apices.
Clinical significance: MTA repair HP can be used as an apical plug material in open apices with similar success as ESRRM putty and marginally better outcome than Biodentine.
Keywords: Apical plug; Bacterial leakage; Biodentine; EndoSequence root repair material putty mineral trioxide aggregate repair high plasticity..