Evaluation of the apical seal of amalgam retrofillings with the use of a root canal sealer interface.
The apical seal of amalgam retrograde fillings was evaluated in 86 extracted teeth. The experimental groups included retrofillings of amalgam alone, amalgam with a cavity varnish interface, and amalgam with a root canal sealer interface. After a 3-month immersion of the teeth in Higgins ink and subsequent clearing process, statistical analysis of ink penetration measurements showed significantly less leakage (p < 0.001) around amalgam retrofillings when using a root canal sealer as an interface between the retrograde cavity preparation and the condensed amalgam.