Valutazione comparativa in vitro di un nuovo plugger per il System B

A i m: t h e c o n t i n u o u s w a v e o f o b t u r a t i o n t e c h - nique requires adequate canal enlargement to insert the smallest Buchanan plugger (fine 50/06) to the ideal length, in order to prop- erly compact guttapercha in the root canal sys- tem. Due to the introduction of a new small- er plugger (30/04) shaping and obturation procedures are expected to be easier. The aim of the study was to evaluate in vitro how deep apically the new plugger penetrates and com- pare penetration with the “fine” plugger. Me t h o d o l o g y : t w o t e s t s w e r e c a r r i e d o u t , o n 10 extracted molars and on 5 mesial roots of lower molars, respectively. All canals were shaped up to apical diameter of 25 and .06 ta- p e r. I n t h e f i r s t t e s t , t h e n e w p l u g g e r w a s i n - serted as deep as possible. In the second test, initially two 30/04 pluggers and then two 50/06 pluggers were inserted in the mesial canals as deep as clinically required. Radi- ograms were taken of all samples by means of a millimetric grid. Pictures were scanned, and digitally analized. R e s u l t s : t h e f i r s t t e s t s h o w e d t h a t t h e me a n maximum depth reached by 30/04 pluggers is 1.35 mm shorter from the root canal radi- ographic terminus; in the second test 30/04 pluggers showed mean penetration values sig- nificantly deeper than those reached by 50/06 pluggers. C o n c l u s i o n s : t h e n e w 3 0/ 0 4 p l u g g e r – w hi c h is smaller and more flexible than the 50/06 one – can easily be inserted up to 2 mm from the root canal apex without removing large amounts of dentin.