Evaluating the Solubility of Endodontic Sealers in Response to Static and Dynamic Stress: An In Vitro Study

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of static and dynamic conditions on the solubility of three endodontic sealers, namely AH Plus (epoxy-resin-based sealer), Bio-C Sealer (bioceramic sealer), and EndoSequence BC (bioceramic sealer).
Methods: Plastic molds were used to create 150 specimens that were divided into three groups, with each group being filled with one of the three sealers. After the setting time, the specimens were removed from the molds, dried, and weighed. Thirty specimens from each group were subdivided into three subgroups and stored in distilled water for 30, 60, or 90 days, while the remaining 20 specimens in each group were subdivided into four subgroups and subjected to 0, 20, 50, or 100 thermocycling cycles. After storage time and the thermocycling process, the samples were reweighed, and the percentage of weight loss and solubility were calculated. The data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Post Hoc Tukey, and Pearson correlation tests (p<0.05).
Results: The results showed that AH Plus had the lowest solubility, followed by EndoSequence BC, and then Bio-C Sealer (p<0.0001). Both static and dynamic conditions had a negative effect on the solubility of all tested sealers, with the effect being more pronounced in bioceramic sealers. The increase in storage days and the number of thermocycling cycles were significantly correlated with the increasing solubility levels of all tested sealers (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that increasing the solubility of endodontic sealers may have a negative impact on long-term treatment outcomes. Both static and dynamic conditions can affect the solubility of endodontic sealers, with bioceramic sealers being more susceptible to this effect. (EEJ-2023-02-034)