OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to compare the quality of apical seal of the canals that obturated with differently tapered gutta-percha cone using continuous wave technique.

METHODS62 extracted human mandible incisors were prepared with Gates-Glidden drill and Hero642 to a final file of No. 30 and 0.06 taper. The teeth were randomly separated into 0.02 taper group (30 teeth), 0.06 taper group (30 teeth) and positive control group (2 teeth). The teeth of 0.02 taper group and 0.06 taper group were respectively obturated with a 0.02, or 0.06 tapered gutta-percha cone and Cortisomol sealer using warm vertical condensation technique separately. The teeth of positive control group were not obturated. In 0.02 taper group and 0.06 taper group, 10 teeth were placed in India ink for 24 hours, 10 teeth were placed in India ink for 10 days, 10 teeth were placed in India ink for 90 hours after 67 days storage in Hank's balanced salt solution. The teeth of positive control group were placed in India ink for 24 hours. The apical leakage was evaluated by the linear measurement under the stereomicroscope.

RESULTSThe dye penetration of positive control group was along the whole canals. The apical leakage of 0.02 taper group increased along with time, while no difference was found among 0.06 taper group. There was a significant difference in the degree of leakage between 0.02 taper group and 0.06 taper group in 67 days (P = 0.041), but not in 24 hours and 10 days groups (P = 0.601, P = 0.471).

CONCLUSIONBetter apical seal was obtained when using the same tapered gutta-percha cone with root canal.