All about bioceramics sealers

Bioceramics are the class of ceramics used for repair and replacement of diseased and damaged parts of the musculoskeletal system

History

• Calcium phosphate was first used as bioceramic restorative dental cement by LeGeros et al, 1982.
•  The first documented use of bioceramic materials as a root canal sealer was by Krell and Wefel, 1984
• Chohayeb et al.,1987, evaluated the use of calcium phosphate as a root canal sealer in adult dog teeth. It made a more uniform and tighter adaptation to the dentinal walls as compared to guttapercha. Calcium phosphate cement has subsequently been used successfully in pulp capping, apical barrier formation, periapical defect repairs and bifurcation perforation repairs.

Classification of bioceramic materials

Mechanism of action 

the following mechanisms have been suggested for calciumsilicate-based sealers:

1. Diffusion    W.Zhang, 2009
2. Infiltration   R. Atmeh, 2012 
3. Partial reaction     W.Zhang, 2009

Commercially available bioceramic sealers

Advantages and disadvantages

There are two major advantages associated with the use of bioceramic materials as root canal sealers.

• biocompatibility
• crystalline structure similar to tooth and bone apatite materials ,   M.P.Ginebra,1997

However, one major disadvantage of these materials is in the difficulty in removing them from the root canal once they are set for later retreatment or post-space preparation   A.M.Cherng, 2001

TIPS FOR USING BIOCERAMIC SEALER

• Do not store in a refrigerator
• Don't use too much sealer
• Use bioceramic-coated cones
• Use bioceramics for pulp capping
• Do apexifications with bioceramics
• Use bioceramics as a retrofilling material
• Use bioceramics as a canal locator.