O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar, por meio de microtomografia computadorizada (micro-CT), o volume de remanescente de diferentes materiais obturadores (AH Plus e BC Sealer), após o uso do instrumento R50 e de técnicas complementares (inserto ultrassônico e instrumento XP-endo Finisher R) em canais radiculares ovais. Vinte e oito raízes distais de molares inferiores, com canal único e oval, foram selecionadas por micro-CT, preparados com instrumento R40 (40.06), e obturados com os seguintes cimentos: AH Plus (n = 14) e BC Sealer (n = 14), e submetidos à ciclagem térmica. Em seguida foi realizada a remoção inicial com R50 e os dentes foram escaneados no micro-CT para determinação do volume remanescente inicial de material obturador, e posterior complementação com inserto ultrassônico (n = 7) ou XP-endo Finisher R (n = 7). Os espécimes foram novamente escaneados, e a partir do volume inicial de material obturador (volinicial) e volume de material obturador remanescente (volrem) em mm3, obteve-se a % de volume de material remanescente após as técnicas de complementação (%volrem=volrem×100/volinicial). Para a análise qualitativa, as imagens de MEV e os modelos tridimensionais obtidos por micro-CT, foram avaliados em relação à presença/ausência e localização do remanescente de material obturador nos canais radiculares. Os dados de %volrem e volume remanescente de material obturador após o uso do instrumento R50 (%volR50) foram comparados pelo teste T, e os dados de %volrem foram submetidos ao teste ANOVA, seguido de teste de Tukey (nível de probabilidade de 95%). Considerando o canal como um todo, as técnicas de complementação promoveram redução significativa do volume remanescente de material obturador, sendo que menores valores foram observados quando utilizado o inserto ultrassônico (8,93 ± 6,12) em relação ao XP-endo Finisher R (16,26 ± 14,71) (P = 0,043). Quanto aos cimentos, pode-se observar que o BC Sealer apresentou maiores quantidades de remanescente (18,87 ± 13,42) quando comparado ao cimento AH Plus (6,33 ± 4,25) (P < 0,001). Em relação à avaliação por terços radiculares, observou-se que quando utilizado o instrumento XP-endo Finisher R, não houve diferença do volume de material remanescente entre os terços, independente do cimento obturador utilizado (P > 0,05). Entretanto, ao se utilizar inserto ultrassônico e cimento AH Plus, maiores valores de volume de material remanescente foram observados no terço apical (23,08 ± 18,1) (P < 0,001), e quando utilizado o BC Sealer, no terço médio (15,53 ± 6,0) (P = 0,022). Conclui-se que as técnicas de complementação aumentaram a remoção de material obturador, entretanto, nenhuma das técnicas removeu por completo o material obturador do canal radicular, principalmente quando o dente foi obturado com o cimento BC Sealer

The aim of the present study was to evaluate, by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), the remaining volume of different filling materials (AH Plus and BC Sealer) after using the R50 instrument and supplementary techniques (ultrasonic insert and XP-endo Finisher R instrument) in oval-shaped root canals. Twenty-eight distal roots of mandibular molars with single and oval-shaped canals, verified by micro-CT, were prepared with R40 instrument (40.06), and filled with the following sealers: AH Plus (n = 14) and BC Sealer (n = 14), and subjected to thermocycling. Then, the initial removal was performed with R50 and the samples were scanned in micro-CT to determine the initial remaining filling material volume, and subjected to the supplementary techniques with ultrasonic tip (n = 7) or XP-endo Finisher R (n = 7). The specimens were again scanned, and the initial volume of filling material (vol_initial) and the final volume of filling material after the supplementary techniques (vol_final), obtained in mm³, were used to calculate the volume % of remaining filling material (%vol_rem=vol_rem×100/vol_initial). For the qualitative analysis, the SEM images and the three-dimensional models obtained by micro-CT were evaluated regarding the presence/absence and location of the remaining filling material in the root canals after retreatment. The data of %vol_rem and volume of the remaining filling material after R50 (%vol_R50) were compared by the T test, and the %vol_rem data were submitted to the ANOVA and Tukey tests (95% probability level). Considering the entire root canal, the supplementary techniques promoted significant reduction of the volume of the remaining filling material, and lower values were observed for the ultrasonic tip (8.93 ± 6.12) when compared to XP-endo Finisher R (16.26 ± 14.71) (P = 0.043). Regarding the different sealers, BC Sealer presented higher amounts of remaining material (18.87 ± 13.42) when compared to AH Plus (6.33 ± 4.25) (P <0.001). The evaluation by root thirds showed that when the XP-endo Finisher R instrument was used, there was no difference in the volume of remaining material between the thirds, regardless the sealer used (P > 0.05). However, when using ultrasonic tip and AH Plus, higher values were observed in the apical third (23.08 ± 18.1) (P <0.001), and when the BC Sealer was used, in the middle third 15.53 ± 6.0) (P = 0.022). It was concluded that supplementary techniques increased the removal, however, none of the techniques completely removed the root canal filling material, especially when the tooth was filled with BC Sealer. with R40 instrument (40.06), and filled with the following sealers: AH Plus (n = 14) and BC Sealer (n = 14), and subjected to thermocycling. Then, the initial removal was performed with R50 and the samples were scanned in micro-CT to determine the initial remaining filling material volume, and subjected to the supplementary techniques with ultrasonic tip (n = 7) or XP-endo Finisher R (n = 7). The specimens were again scanned, and the initial volume of filling material (vol_initial) and the final volume of filling material after the supplementary techniques (vol_final), obtained in mm3, were used to calculate the volume % of remaining filling material (%vol_rem=vol_rem×100/vol_initial). For the qualitative analysis, the SEM images and the three-dimensional models obtained by micro-CT were evaluated regarding the presence/absence and location of the remaining filling material in the root canals after retreatment. The data of %vol_rem and volume of the remaining filling material after R50 (%vol_R50) were compared by the T test, and the %vol_rem data were submitted to the ANOVA and Tukey tests (95% probability level). Considering the entire root canal, the supplementary techniques promoted significant reduction of the volume of the remaining filling material, and lower values were observed for the ultrasonic tip (8.93 ± 6.12) when compared to XP-endo Finisher R (16.26 ± 14.71) (P = 0.043). Regarding the different sealers, BC Sealer presented higher amounts of remaining material (18.87 ± 13.42) when compared to AH Plus (6.33 ± 4.25) (P <0.001). The evaluation by root thirds showed that when the XP-endo Finisher R instrument was used, there was no difference in the volume of remaining material between the thirds, regardless the sealer used (P > 0.05). However, when using ultrasonic tip and AH Plus, higher values were observed in the apical third (23.08 ± 18.1) (P <0.001), and when the BC Sealer was used, in the middle third 15.53 ± 6.0) (P = 0.022). It was concluded that supplementary techniques increased the removal, however, none of the techniques completely removed the root canal filling material, especially when the tooth was filled with BC Sealer