Comparative Evaluation of Radiopacity of Three Root Canal Sealers Using Conventional and Digital Radiographic Technique: An Invitro Study

Abstract

To compare and evaluate the radiopacity of three different root canal sealers using conventional and digital radiographic technique. The sealers tested were AH Plus, Endoflas and Pulpdent, by conventional and digital radiographic methods. The sealers were mixed and placed in a stainless steel ring moulds. Aluminium step wedge was placed along side of specimen for the measurement of radiopacity of sealers. Radiographic films were used for conventional method and the images were obtained after the films were developed from x-ray developing solutions. For digital radiographic technique the images were obtained from radiovisiograph. The images obtained from both the techniques were directly transferred to the analytical imaging software to determine the radiopacity of sealers using grey-pixel values. All tested materials showed radiopacity above 3mm of aluminium recommended by ANSI / ADA Specification 57. Higher mean radiopacity was observed in AH Plus followed by Endoflas and Pulpdent respectively. Conventional method showed a lower value of radiopacity compare to digital radiographic technique. The mean values of tested sealers were varying in both the methods. All tested materials showed radiopacity above 3mm of aluminium recommended by ANSI / ADA Specification 57. Digital radiography was better than the conventional radiographic method in evaluating the radiopacity of root canal sealers.