Tests.xlsx

Forty distal (for mandibular teeth) or palatal (for maxillary teeth) canals of extracted molar teeth were prepared by Dc Taper rotary files to an ISO45 diameter and to a length of 8 mm in order to eliminate any possible differences in the middle and apical curvatures, thereby creating unified lengths and diameters. The teeth were divided into four groups according to sealer type: AH Plus, BJM RCS, Total Fill BC and AH Plus Bioceramic. The canals were obturated by means of the "Single Cone" technique (45 ISO gutta percha [GP] cone with the dedicated sealer in each group). Ten days later, each cone was subjected to the "pull-out test" with the Shimadzo Universal Testing Machine until it was torn or removed entirely from the canal. A force (in Newtons) to Stroke (in millimeters) graph was generated for each specimen and the maximum vertex of this graph was recorded. The number of times the cone was torn or removed was recorded for each group.