Atomic force microscopy study of gutta-percha cone topography

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2004 Aug;98(2):250-5. doi: 10.1016/j.tripleo.2004.02.076.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the topography of the apical portion of 4 different commercially available standardized gutta-percha (GP) cones with atomic force microscopy (AFM). GP cones (Analytic, Dentsply, Tanari, and Endo Points) were cut 3 mm from the tip, attached in a glass base, and positioned in the AFM. Analyses were performed on 3 different regions of the GP sample and on 3 separate points of each region. Root mean square (RMS) parameters for topographic amplitudes and lateral force variations were calculated. The differences among GP brands were tested by ANOVA with a Fisher protected LSD test of multiple comparisons. According to our results, only Endo Points showed similar behavior between 2 parameters assessed (P <.05). All brands showed normally distributed deep depression in the apical portions, which are within the same scale as proteins and bacterial products that the cones should be blocking. AFM offers a powerful new tool to directly evaluate the characterization of GP cone surfaces.

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Gutta-Percha / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional
  • Least-Squares Analysis
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Root Canal Filling Materials / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Root Canal Filling Materials
  • Gutta-Percha