Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The adhesion of sealers to dentin is a vital aspect of endodontic success. Epoxy resin-based sealers such as AH Plus(®) are considered the gold standard for their strong mechanical adhesion, but they lack bioactivity. Calcium silicate-based sealers such as AH Plus(®) Bioceramic and Ceraseal(®) offer bioactive potential. This study compares the push-out bond strength and failure modes of three root canal sealers: AH Plus(®) Bioceramic, Ceraseal(®), and AH Plus(®). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty mandibular premolars were prepared and divided into three groups (n = 10): Group I (AH Plus(®) Bioceramic), Group II (Ceraseal(®)), and Group III (AH Plus(®)). Push-out bond strength was measured in MPa at apical and medial root segments using a universal testing machine. Failure modes were evaluated using a digital microscope at ×30 and ×100 magnification. RESULTS: AH Plus(®) exhibited the highest mean bond strength (14.65 ± 2.42 MPa), followed by Ceraseal(®). AH Plus(®) Bioceramic showed the lowest bond strength (2.31 ± 0.21 MPa). Failure modes in Group I were predominantly mixed, whereas Groups II and III had balanced cohesive and mixed failures. CONCLUSIONS: While all sealers adhered well to dentin, AH Plus(®) Bioceramic demonstrated significantly lower bond strength compared to AH Plus(®) and Ceraseal(®).