Influence of calcium hydroxide intracanal medication on bond strength of two endodontic resin-based sealers assessed by micropush-out test.

AIM To evaluate the influence of calcium hydroxide (CH) paste used as intracanal medication on the bond strength of AH Plus (AH) and Epiphany (EP) sealers to root dentin. METHODOLOGY Sixty palatal canals were prepared in human maxillary first molars, using a rotary system. Half of the specimens received distilled water, and the other ones received intracanal medication with CH for 14 days. Thereafter, the CH was removed and both groups were further divided into two subgroups, filled with either AH or EP. The test specimens were submitted to the micropush-out test at a speed of 0.5 mm min(-1) . Results were statistically analyzed with anova and Tukey's test at a 95% confidence level. RESULTS The use of CH had statistically significant (P < 0.05) influence on AH only, increasing its bond strength from 19.7 ± 4.5 to 23.8 ± 2.5 (mean ± SD in MPa). In both EP groups, with (1.8 ± 0.5 MPa) and without (1.5 ± 0.9 MPa) CH, the bond strength values were statistically significantly lower than in either of the AH groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Calcium hydroxide used as intracanal medication for 14 days had a positive influence on the bond strength of AH to root dentin whereas the effect on EP was insignificant. Regardless of the intracanal medication used, AH showed considerably higher bond strength values compared with EP sealer.