Technique Acquisition in the Use of Two Thermoplasticized Root Filling Methods by Inexperienced Dental Students: A Microcomputed Tomography Analysis

IntroductionLimited endodontic experiences in dental schools suggest the need for easy-to-learn techniques. Therefore, two simplified root filling methods were assessed for adequacy and expediency when performed by inexperienced students.MethodsEight students were trained (45-minute lecture and 90-minute practice) in use of ProTaper Obturators (PTO) and System-B/Calamus (SBC). They subsequently filled the root canals in two extracted, single-rooted teeth per method (n = 32). Canals were preshaped and prefitted with obturators and master cones. The volume of root-filling voids determined by microcomputed tomography imaging in 1-mm increments, time to complete fillings, and students' responses in questionnaires were analyzed (independent-sample t test and Mann-Whitney U test).ResultsPTO had a significantly smaller void volume in the apical 6 mm of canals (P < 0.001), required significantly shorter time (P < 0.001), and was perceived as easier to learn and use but less likely to be favored after graduation than SBC.ConclusionThese results suggested that the PTO root filling method was particularly suitable for teaching when endodontic experiences available for students are limited.