Bacterial microleakage of barrier materials in obturated root canals.

The bacterial microleakage of four current restorative materials (glass ionomer cement, polycarboxylate cement, resin modified glass ionomer cement, and flowable composite resin) used as a base over obturated root canals were evaluated during a 5-month period. Sixty single-rooted mandibular premolars were obturated with cold lateral compaction of gutta-percha. The teeth were randomly divided into five groups of 10 teeth each and positive and negative control groups of five. The access openings were filled with one of the tested barrier materials in four groups. In group 5, no barrier material was placed. Samples were incorporated in a model system using Staphylococcus epidermidis as a microbial marker. Results were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (p = 0.05). The sealing ability of all tested materials was better when compared with group 5 (no barrier material) (p < 0.05). Within the limitations of this study, the glass ionomer cement leaked significantly less when compared with the flowable composite resin (p < 0.05).