The investigation of gutta-percha temperature and compaction force change when using the vertical compaction of warm gutta-percha technique

The naturally occurring isoprene rubber component of gutta-percha has been used in dental root canal filling treatments for almost a hundred years owing to its stability and plasticity as a root canal filling material. The traditional warm gutta-percha vertical compaction technique is the major technique for warm gutta-percha root canal obturation. However, the relation between compaction force and temperature change in this technique is still unclear. The purposes of this study were to determine the ideal gutta-percha molding temperature for compaction and to evaluate single and double heating and compaction in the warm vertical compaction procedures using infrared thermography. Gutta-percha was placed in a digital dry bath incubator at temperatures ranging from 25°C to 62°C in order to analyze compaction forces using an Instron universal testing machine. Both single and double heating and compaction procedures were examined using an infrared thermograph model to monitor temperature change when performing the warm gutta-percha vertical compaction procedure. Our results demonstrate that 44-58°C is the ideal temperature to soften gutta-percha for excellent compaction. Heating and compacting gutta-percha twice at 3 mm from the apex can mold the gutta-percha completely.