Buffalo, New York _September 16, 1994

Last Edited on Thursday, May 13, 2005

There are three reasons that I prefer PCA root canal sealer:

1. It is ADA certified
2. also because it is ADA certified
3. and last but not least, it is ADA certified.

A little silly perhaps but not really such an exaggeration.

PCA sealer is in fact ADA certified but it's better than that.

It is certified, in the ADA's words as a 'sealer and filler with or without solid core materials.' What this does NOT mean is that it must be used with gutta percha.

There are several additional reasons to use PCA in the precision endo syringe.

1. When mixed very thick, there is very low proportion of eugenol ...

   probably much less than the body is exposed to during gutta percha filling which is done with a eugenol-rich mix.

2. It is radio-opaque enough to see in small canals.
3. The particle size is small enough to extrude through the smallest available needles. Which means that we can make a smaller preparation and still get a needle close to the apex.
4. It has an extended working time.

   You have four to five hours from the time you mix it until it is too thick to use.

   Thus, you can use the same mix practically all day.

5. It is easily removed for post insertion.
6. Excess cement usually absorbs.
7. And now in the April 2005 issue of the Journal of Endodontics researchers report that cement by itself actually results in a BETTER seal than the same sealer plus molten gutta percha. They further commented that neither of their test sealers bonds with dentin but that does not seem to make any difference..."adhesion has no correlation to sealing efficiency"

   Although this particular test did not use PCA, I have no doubts that the results would have been the same. That combined with all the other favorable characteristics puts PCA Root Canal Sealer up there with the best of them.

E-mail your comments to drjack@BetterEndo.com