Push-out bond strength of root fillings made with C-Point and BC sealer versus gutta-percha and AH Plus after the instrumentation of oval canals with the Self-Adjusting File versus WaveOne

Aim To compare the push-out bond strength exhibited by root fillings performed with either C-Point and Endosequence® BC sealer™ (BC Sealer) or gutta-percha and AH Plus® after the instrumentation of oval canals with either the Self-Adjusting File (SAF) System or WaveOne (WO) reciprocating file. Methodology Eighty extracted premolars were selected and divided randomly into the following four groups (n = 20): group 1, SAF instrumentation and filling using gutta-percha and AH Plus sealer; group 2, SAF instrumentation and C-Point and BC sealer filling; group 3, WO instrumentation and filling using gutta-percha and AH Plus sealer; and group 4, WO instrumentation and filling with C-Point and BC sealer. Sodium hypochlorite (5.25%) and EDTA (17%) were used as irrigants for all groups. After the sealer was set completely, the teeth were prepared for micro push-out assessment using 1.0-mm-thick root slices. Loading was performed with a universal testing machine at a speed of 0.5 mm min−1. Two-way anova and Student's t-test for pairwise comparisons were used to compare groups. Results All specimens filled with C-Point and BC sealer were associated with significantly higher push-out bond strength compared with gutta-percha and AH Plus sealer (P < 0.001). The bond strength was higher for the coronal and apical samples of the C-Point/BC sealer/SAF group (6.6 ± 0.3 and 3.2 ± 0.3 MPa) versus those of the gutta-percha/AH Plus/WO group (4.8 ± 0.3 and 1.8 ± 0.3 MPa), by 38% and by 80% in the coronal and apical parts, respectively (P < 0.001, P < 0.0001). Adhesive bond failure was more common in the WaveOne-instrumented group in general and in the buccal and lingual recesses in this group in particular. Conclusions In oval canals, the instrument used and the root filling material significantly affected the push-out values of root fillings. The highest value was recorded in oval root canals instrumented with the SAF System and filled with C-Point and BC sealer, whereas the lowest strength was noted in oval canals instrumented with WaveOne and filled with gutta-percha and AH Plus sealer.