An Evaluation of GuttaFlow and Gutta-Percha in the Filling of Lateral Grooves and Depressions

The purpose of this study was to compare the flow of GuttaFlow (Coltène/Whaledent Inc, Cuyahoga Falls, OH) and gutta-percha into lateral grooves and depressions in the apical 7 mm of the root canal system. A maxillary canine was used to fabricate a split-tooth model with depressions and lateral grooves placed in the canal walls at 1 mm, 3 mm, 5 mm, and 7 mm from the working length. The model was obturated with GuttaFlow or gutta-percha and Roth's 801 sealer (Roth International, Chicago, IL). Obturations with gutta-percha were performed by using warm vertical compaction with the System B plugger (Analytic Endodontics, Orange, CA) advanced to 5 mm, 4 mm, or 3 mm from the working length. All obturations with GuttaFlow showed extrusion of material beyond the apex. GuttaFlow completely obturated the grooves and depressions at all levels from the working length, and, at the 1-mm level, GuttaFlow flowed significantly better into grooves. GuttaFlow flowed better than gutta-percha into depressions at the 1-mm level when the System B plugger was inserted to 5 mm and 4 mm from the working length, but no significant differences were seen when the System B plugger was inserted to 3 mm from the working length. Gutta-percha flowed significantly better into grooves and depressions at the 1-mm level when the System B plugger was inserted 3 mm from the working length compared with 5 mm and 4 mm from working length.