S-15 - Root-End Filling Materials: Past, Present and Future

Placement of a root end filling material (REFM) during apical surgery has a long history. In the mid 1990’s, ZOE containing materials were the REFMs. Prior to that, amalgam was the predominant REFM. Although a plethora of materials have been used , no material has fulfilled all of the ideal properties of a REFM . An ideal REFM not only should prevent leakage of irritants from the root canal system into the periapical tissues, it should also be: biocompatible ,bio-inductive, insoluble in tissue fluids, dimensionally stable, unaffected by moisture, easy to use, radiopaque, and non-staining. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) was introduced as a REFM 30 years ago. MTA fulfills most of the ideal properties of a REFM. However, long setting time of the MTA is the major drawback of this material as a REFM. To overcome this drawback, a number of new MTA-type cements have been introduced to the market. In this lecture, various properties of existing REFMs will be explored based on available evidence and future emerging materials and delivery systems will be discussed.