Introduction: The purpose of this study was to analyze the connective tissue reactions to MTA Fillapex (Ângelus Indústria de Produtos Odontlógicos Ltda, Londrina, Brazil) compared with a zinc oxide-based sealer (EndoFill; Dentsply Indústria e Comérico Ltda, Petrópolis, Brazil) and an epoxy resin-based material (AH Plus; Dentsply DeTrey GmbH, Konstanz, Germany) in Wistar rats.
Methods: Polyethylene tubes containing the test materials and empty polyethylene tubes (control) were implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of 12 rats. Empty tubes were used as a negative control. After 7 and 60 days (n = 6 per period), observations were made for cellular inflammatory components, fibrous condensation, and abscess formation. Comparisons among the groups and between the experimental periods were made using 2-way analysis of variance and the Bonferroni post hoc test (P < .05).
Results: At the end of the 7-day experimental period, all sealers scored higher than the control group for the variable lymphocytes, and MTA Fillapex presented lower fiber condensation compared with empty tubes. After 60 days, macrophages and lymphocytes scored significantly higher for MTA Fillapex and EndoFill compared with the negative control, and AH Plus showed similar results related to the empty tubes. Comparing the materials' responses at the end of the 2 evaluated periods, for EndoFill samples the variable neutrophils was detected less after 60 days. Both EndoFill and MTA Fillapex presented increased fiber condensation after 60 days.
Conclusions: Although none of the sealers promoted ideal tissue responses, AH Plus presented the best outcomes. Although MTA Fillapex contains MTA powder, it presented no biocompatibility advantages when compared with AH Plus and EndoFill.
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