To evaluate the ratio of gutta-percha area in the canal after canal obturation with Continuous Wave of Condensation Technique (CWCT) with varying depths of plugger penetration, forty root canals of extracted human teeth were prepared up to size 40 of 0.06 taper with ProFile®. Canals of three groups were filled with CWCT with System B™ (Analytic Tech., USA) and different plugger penetration depths of 3, 5, or 7 mm from the apex. Canals of one group were filled with lateral condensation technique as a control. The filled teeth were cross-sectioned at 1, 2, and 3 mm levels from the apical foramen. The ratio of gutta-percha area in the canal was analyzed using Auto®Cad 2000. Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test.

At all levels, higher gutta-percha area ratio was found with deeper plugger penetration depth in CWCT, and cold lateral condensation group showed higher ratio than group of plugger penetration to apical 7 mm in CWCT.

At apical 1 mm and 2 mm levels, group of plugger penetration to apical 3 mm showed significantly higher gutta-percha area ratio than those of apical 7 mm and lateral condensation (p < 0.05).

It is concluded therefore that, under the conditions of the present study, deeper plugger penetration depth results in more favorable and efficient obturation in CWCT.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the obturation efficiency of a non-standardized gutta-percha cone in curved root canals prepared with 0.06 taper nickel-titanium instruments.

Sixty simulated curved root canals in clear resin blocks were prepared with crown-down technique using 0.06 taper rotary ProTaper™ and ProFile (Dentsply-Maillefer) until apical canal was size 30. Root canals were randomly divided into 4 groups of 15 blocks and obturated with cold-laterally compacted gutta-percha technique by using either a non-standardized size medium gutta-percha cone or an ISO-standardized size 30 one as a master cone. Gutta-percha area ratio were calculated at apical levels of 1, 3, and 5 mm using AutoCAD 2000 after cross-sectioning, and the data were analyzed with one-way and two-way ANOVAs and Duncan's multiple range test.

Non-standardized size medium cone groups showed significantly higher gutta-percha area ratio than standardized cone groups at all apical levels (p < 0.01).

Non-standardized cone groups used significantly less accessory cones than standardized cone groups (p < 0.01).