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Filling root canals, commonly called obturation, is a critical step in successful treatment. The goals of obturation are twofold: to create an apical seal and fill the root canal without incorporating voids within the filling material.[1][2] Successful obturation eliminates leakage of contaminants into the channel, such as saliva, bacteria, and periapical tissue fluid, and entraps any residual microorganisms within the canal space.[2] The ability to adequately obturate a root canal is directly related to the preceding step of cleaning and shaping. Cleaning and shaping refer to a root canal's mechanical and chemical preparation to remove organic and inorganic matter. A canal that has been poorly cleaned and shaped results in equally poor obturation and is one of the strongest indicators of treatment failure.[2] Root canals are 3D structures with complex and unique anatomy; no 2 are alike. Achieving a 3D obturation with complete coronal, lateral, and apical seals is essential for long-term success.[1] Radiographs are still the main method used to visualize root canals during the diagnostic and treatment stages. However, one of their major weaknesses is that they only provide a 2D representation of 3D canals.[3] As a result, it is impossible to assess the quality of the canal seal created during the obturation stage. Introducing micro-CT imaging into the field of endodontics has dramatically enhanced the accuracy of diagnosis, cleaning shaping, and, ultimately, obturation.[4] There are countless materials and techniques for obturation. Most techniques employ a sealer and a core filling material to ensure complete obturation. This activity discusses available sealers and proceeds to core obturation materials.

A well-sealed root canal system provides the patient with the best possible treatment outcome. Ensuring an adequately filled root canal requires collaboration between dentists, endodontists, dental radiologists, and dental assistants. Dental nurses and assistants play a central role, as they are in charge of mixing and manipulating the sealers and core filling materials and handing them to the dentist. Root canal therapy is full of intricacies that require excellent interprofessional communication. This ensures that clinicians arrive at a proper diagnosis, generate clear imaging, and determine the best procedure technique, including which material to use to fill the root canal.