ENDODONTICS SEALERS RADIOPACITY WITH DIFFERENT EXPOSURE TIMES AND FILMS

Abstract

The radiopacity of the endodontic sealers Fillcanal, Apexit, Vidrion Endo and Endométhasone, was assessed, with three periapical radiographic films: D-Speed, E-Speed and Agfa Dentus M2 Comfort and two exposure times. For each material studied, 5 test specimens were made, which were radiographed together with a teeth, at the exposure times and with the films studied. In each test specimen and tooth image, optic density measurements were obtained. The Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney test was used, with level of significance of 0.05. The optic density values of the tooth and the cements were shown to differ with the film and/or exposure time that was varied. Under all the studied conditions, the tooth presented higher optical density values than those of the sealers. The Vidrion Endo sealer was shown to be the most radiopaque, followed by Fillcanal, Endométhasone and Apexit in decreasing order, under the majority of the studied conditions. With exception of the Vidrion Endo cement, since it showed no alteration in radiopacity when varying the type of radiographic film and using a shorter exposure time, there were differences in the results regardings the type of film and exposure time in all cases. In view of the results, it was concluded that the factors exposure time and film influence the radiopacity of the materials.