Biologic evaluation of SPAD. II. A clinical comparison of Traitement SPAD with the conventional root canal filling technique.

Traitement SPAD is a new root canal filling material that is advertised as an efficient universal paste recommended for the treatment of all kinds of teeth in one visit. Pushing the paste beyond the apex is highly recommended by the manufacturer for the treatment of periapical lesions and to aid in rapid regeneration of the tissues. A clinical study was conducted to determine the response to this material and to compare it with the response to laterally condensed gutta-percha. SPAD was intentionally forced beyond the apex in some of the patients to evaluate its effect on periapical lesions and on the surrounding tissues. In the majority of patients, the periapical tissues were unable to absorb the excess material, which caused persistent pain and swelling and had to be removed surgically. After removal of the extruded material, which had set into a hard mass with rough surface texture, healing followed a normal course. The use of SPAD and the laterally condensed gutta-percha for filling root canals to their apical constriction provided equally high percentages of success.