Comparison of the Ability to Mask the Color of Endodontic Filling Materials Using Several Types of Base Materials

Abstract

In clinical pediatric dentistry, a base material with optical properties, including transparency, that can mask the color of the material used for root canal-filling is preferred. This study aimed to examine the optical properties of various base materials by thickness. The disk-shaped specimens were photopolymerized and fabricated using Ionosit (IN), TheraCal LC (TL), TheraCal PT (PT), and A2 shade of FiltekTM Supreme Flowable Restorative (FZ), Fuji II LC (FL), and KetacTM Fil (KF) with 1 and 2 mm thickness. The color parameters of these specimens were measured using a spectrophotometer on a black and white background and were measured using the same method on a mold containing Vitapex® and gutta-percha. The translucency parameter (TP) and color difference were calculated for each group. The Kruskal-Wallis and Bonferroni tests were used in the statistical analyses. The TP decreased when the thickness was 2 mm compared with 1 mm. The TP values of TL and PT were the lowest at all thicknesses. The TP values of 2 mm thickness in all molds filled with Vitapex® and gutta-percha were the lowest for TL, PT, KF, and IN. In TL and PT, the color difference before and after the application of the canal-filling material was the smallest, regardless of material thickness. Within the limits of this in vitro study, TL, PT, KF, and IN demonstrated better masking of the color of canal-filling material.