Selected properties of contemporary endodontic sealers: part 1

Introduction and aims: Today's endodontics has at its disposal a myriad of materials intended for the definitive filling of root canals, which differ in their composition as well as in their physical, chemical and biological properties. The dental market strives for continuous innovation of some materials by modifying their composition, which results in a change in the properties of new preparations. The aim of this article is to compare selected properties of current endodontic sealers and thus make it clear to clinicians about the current situation on the market with these materials. The first part of this article deals with materials based on calcium hydroxide, zinc oxide eugenol and finally, attention was paid to the gold standard in endodontics - polyepoxide material. When comparing the individual properties of these materials, their setting time, pH during solidification, radiopacity, solubility and susceptibility to root filling leaks over time, volume changes occurring during and after solidification of these materials, cytotoxicity, antibacterial properties and ability of these materials to color hard teeth were monitored tissues. Methods, materials: By comparing the individual properties of these materials, it can be stated that each of the current endodontic sealers excels in properties that significantly differ from the others. Sealers based on calcium hydroxide thus excel mainly in strong antibacterial action and low susceptibility to discoloration of hard dental tissues and low or mild cytotoxicity due to their high pH, or other substances contained in the sealer composition, but their high solubility and susceptibility to leaks significantly deteriorates the quality of the root filling. Zinc oxide eugenol sealers have excellent antibacterial properties, but only in the first days of their action, but on the other hand they negatively affect the prognosis of endodontic treatment with their high susceptibility to leaks and cytotoxicity and also adversely affect the staining of remaining hard dental tissues. Polyepoxide sealers, due to their low solubility and low susceptibility to leakage, guarantee a quality root filling, but their antibacterial properties, however high, are only short-lived, their high cytotoxicity adversely affects periapical periodontal cells and high susceptibility to hard tooth discoloration. Excess of sealer worsens the aesthetics of an endodontically treated tooth. Conclusion: The selection of a suitable material is therefore not easy and the clinician must consider which of the properties he will prefer in this selection and which he will instead attribute less importance to.