Loading…
Comparison13 Sep 2026 · 4 min read
Choose a bioceramic sealer if you obturate with a single matched cone, and an epoxy resin sealer if you warm-condense. A randomised trial in teeth with large periapical lesions found no significant difference in success between AH Plus and a bioceramic sealer, in first treatments and retreatments alike. Retreatability differs by product and by study, so keep the sealer's own guidance in the record.
A decade ago the sealer question was which brand of epoxy or zinc oxide eugenol to keep. Now every supplier offers a premixed bioceramic sealer in a syringe, single-cone obturation is routine, and the questions have changed: does the sealer choice change outcomes, can I still warm-condense, and what happens when the case fails and the canal has to be re-entered. This comparison answers those from the evidence available, describes the sealers we stock, and matches each to an obturation technique.
Premixed pastes of calcium silicates, calcium phosphate and a radiopacifier. They set by reacting with water from the dentinal tubules and the canal, forming calcium hydroxide and hydroxyapatite-like phases during setting, which is why they are described as bioactive and why a dry canal delays their set. They are designed for single-cone obturation: a matched gutta-percha cone carries the sealer to length, and the sealer, not the cone, fills lateral space. Handling is simple, there is nothing to mix, and the syringe tip delivers the sealer into the canal directly.
Two pastes mixed to a creamy consistency; AH Plus is the reference product. They have a long working time, low solubility, good flow and radiopacity, and a large body of outcome data behind them. They bond to dentine and to gutta-percha, tolerate warm vertical condensation, and set slowly enough for lateral condensation. The trade-offs are the mixing step, a setting reaction that can irritate tissue if extruded in volume before it sets, and a bond to dentine that some studies link to harder removal.
Zinc oxide eugenol sealers (Endomethasone N, Endofill and similar) are the traditional option: inexpensive, antimicrobial, resorbable if extruded, and with a mild tissue irritation from eugenol. Resin-based non-epoxy sealers and temporary pastes with calcium hydroxide fill specific roles. Calcium silicate putties are the same chemistry as bioceramic sealers in a thicker form, used for repairs, apexification and root-end fillings.
| Class | Stocked examples | Technique | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bioceramic sealer, premixed | CeraSeal (Meta Biomed), One-Fil (Mediclus), Cerafill RCS (Prevest DenPro) | Cold single-cone; check heat tolerance per product | No mixing; syringe delivery; set depends on moisture |
| Bioceramic putty | CeraPutty (Meta Biomed), MTA Plus, RetroMTA, PD MTA White | Repairs, root-end fillings, pulp capping, apexification | Not a flowing sealer |
| Epoxy resin sealer | AH Plus paste tubes (Dentsply Sirona) | Lateral condensation, warm vertical, single cone | Long working time; mix to a homogeneous cream |
| Resin sealer, non-epoxy | Any-Seal RC (Mediclus) | Cold techniques | Dual syringe |
| Zinc oxide eugenol | Endomethasone N (Septodont), Endofill | Lateral condensation | Traditional, economical, resorbable if extruded |
Gutta-percha in matched tapers (.04 and .06, and F1 to F3 for ProTaper-style sequences) and paper points complete the obturation set. For warm techniques we stock obturation pens and gutta-percha bars.
| Criterion | Bioceramic sealer | Epoxy resin sealer |
|---|---|---|
| Obturation technique | Cold single cone with a matched taper; heat only if the product allows | Lateral, warm vertical, continuous wave, single cone |
| Handling | Premixed syringe, no mixing, short delivery time into the canal | Mix two pastes; long working time |
| Setting | Needs moisture; slow in a very dry canal | Chemical set, hours; unaffected by canal moisture in practice |
| Clinical success | Comparable to AH Plus in the available randomised trial | Comparable; decades of data |
| Extrusion | Generally tolerated; sets in tissue fluid | Tolerated once set; unset material is more irritating |
| Retreatment | Studies disagree; hard set and adhesion can leave residue | Responds to solvents; bonds to dentine; residue also reported |
| Cost per canal | Higher per gram; small volumes used | Lower per canal in a tube; waste from mixing |
Choose bioceramic if you shape with a rotary system, obturate with a single matched cone, and want the fewest steps. Choose epoxy if you warm-condense or laterally condense, treat wide or irregular canals where the cone does not fit closely, or want the sealer with the longest record. Many clinics keep both.
Bioceramic sealers and the putty for repairs:
Epoxy, resin and zinc oxide eugenol sealers:
Matched cones for single-cone obturation:
Compare CeraSeal, One-Fil and AH Plus on price per canal for your case volume: a 0.5 g bioceramic syringe covers a handful of canals, a 2 g syringe or an AH Plus tube covers many more. Buy gutta-percha in the taper of the file system you shape with, and keep a bioceramic putty for the perforation or open apex that arrives without warning.
Not on the outcome that matters. The randomised trial available found comparable success rates. Bioceramic sealers are more convenient for single-cone obturation and are biocompatible in laboratory studies; AH Plus has the longer clinical track record and works with warm techniques. The right answer depends on your obturation technique.
Manufacturers specify whether their sealer tolerates heat; several premixed bioceramic sealers are intended for cold techniques only because heat drives off the water they need to set. Use the product's own instructions; some newer formulations are labelled as heat-stable.
A cone matched to the final file's tip size and taper, so the sealer film is thin and the cone reaches working length. Verify the fit with a tug-back and a radiograph before you coat it.
Studies conflict. Some report better retrievability of bioceramic sealers than AH Plus with solvents and retreatment files; others report that their hard set and adhesion to dentine leave more residue. Plan retreatment with a solvent, retreatment files and ultrasonics whichever sealer was used, and note the sealer in the record.
A putty-consistency calcium silicate material is used for repairs and root-end fillings, pulp capping and perforations rather than as a flowing sealer. It is the same chemistry in a thicker form.
