Clinical Outcome Evaluation of The Effectiveness of Calcium Hydroxide as A Root Canal Sealer Constituent

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of using calcium hydroxide-containing sealer (Sealapex) compared to zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE) sealer in single-visit root canal treatments.
Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at different private clinics, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from January 2018 to December 2018. A total of 60 permanent teeth with periradicular pathosis were selected and randomly assigned into two groups. Group 1 (ZOE group) comprised 30 teeth treated with a ZOE sealer, while Group 2 (Sealapex group) included 30 teeth treated with a calcium hydroxide-containing sealer. Clinical evaluations were performed at 3 months and 12 months post-treatment, with patient complaints recorded and analyzed using SPSS version 22 and Microsoft Excel.
Results: Group 2 had a higher proportion of younger participants (40.00% aged 11-20) compared to Group 1 (26.67%). Group 1 had more males (66.67%) compared to Group 2 (56.67%). Trauma was the leading etiological factor in both groups. Maxillary teeth were more frequently affected, with 56.67% in Group 1 and 63.33% in Group 2. Pre-operative pain was higher in Group 2 (90.00%) compared to Group 1 (76.67%). At the 3-month follow-up, percussion pain was more prevalent in Group 1 (76.67%) than in Group 2 (46.67%, p = 0.016). By the 12-month follow-up, percussion pain persisted in 13.33% of Group 1 but was absent in Group 2. Group 2 achieved a 100.00% success rate, significantly higher than Group 1’s 86.67% (p = 0.038).
Conclusion: The use of calcium hydroxide-containing sealer (Sealapex) in single-visit root canal treatments resulted in superior clinical outcomes compared to zinc oxide eugenol sealer. These findings suggest that calcium hydroxide-containing sealers offer better pain management and higher long-term success rates, making them a more effective alternative for endodontic treatments. Further research is recommended to confirm these results in broader clinical settings.