Soft-Core HD vs. Thermafil

posted in Root Canal Obturation, What's Hot, Endodontics, What's New

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Dr. A asks,

soft-core.jpgI have been using Thermafil (Tulsa Dental) – a warm gutta-percha carrier system for years with great results. I have had absolutely no problems with the system. It fills the canals beautifully. But I have been reading about Soft-Core HD (Axis) which is very similar to Thermafil but somewhat cheaper. Really looks to be about the same kind of product. Have any of you switched from Thermafil to Soft-Core HD? Does it work as well? Have you encountered any problems with the system? I wanted to get some feedback from users before I decide to buy the system. Thanks.

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18 Responses to “ Soft-Core HD vs. Thermafil ”

  • Jeffrey Hoos DMD April 7th, 2008

    I was wondering what the motivation would be to change if you are having great results. I have not experience with the product but, one failure will more than making up for any saving. The greatest way to save money in dentistry is to limit inventory.
    So unless you can use up the “last” of it……stick with what you have.
    But you can come to my office and load up on lots of unused stuff.

  • Dr K April 15th, 2008

    I would agree with Dr Hoos in that results speak for themselves. I am also a Thermafil user with great results and would never switch due to price. My patients results are first but I also receive excellent customer service from Tulsa Dental.

  • Dr. Chan (Hong Kong) April 19th, 2008

    Agree with both Drs’ comment.
    Cost of softcore is about 1/3 of themafil
    However, I had used many systems for years, I preferred to use them according to the situation.
    I will only use softcore for those canals of molars which are narrow but not too curved.
    Protaper GP points in Protaper system are my favourite now since no pre-heat is necessary and results are nice.

  • Raymond Kimsey April 24th, 2008

    I first used thermafill years ago but at that time the obturators did not fit the system welll so I switched to Softcore which worked much better and cost less. That was fine for a few years then Softcore changed and they were not radioopaque. This made it difficult to determine the quality of your obturation BUT much worse when other doctors saw your endodontic tx they looked bad. I complained and they changed them out but they still were not radioopque like they should be. Of course they did not offer to pay for my time to retreat nor did they recall the entire lot as many months later I bought more softcore from a dealer and it too was low density.
    My mistake was not reporting to the FDA.

  • Dr. S April 25th, 2008

    I have switched not due to price but do to the fact that the carrier portion of softcore does not go clear to the tip of the GP like thermafil. I was seeing the carrier extruded through the apices of not only some of my cases but those of others as well. This almost dooms the endo to failure. I have had more success and comfort in knowing that the soft core is more what I was looking for in my warm gp technique.

  • Russ Fitton April 26th, 2008

    In 27 years of doing endo the only failures I’ve ever had no matter what system I tried was with the Thermafil system. The fills would look great but 3-5 years later they would fail. Not all of them but about half of them. I just don’t think the seal is as good as you get with other methods. It’s like sticking a corn dog down the canal and all you have at the apex is the stick. I’m using a resin sealer with lateral condensation and the sequence GP in .06 taper. It’s almost like thermafil in that you only need 1 GP cone and mabye 1-2 accessory cones. With the resin sealer there’s no washout of the sealer . If the patient disappears for awhile before getting the final restoration you don’t have to worry about the canals being recontaminated.

  • Dr. Vir June 4th, 2008

    I’ve read about some shrinkage with these oven heated systems (thermafil & soft core) and have used both in the past. Soft core is cheaper and if you clean out
    your canals extremely well…then it doesn’t matter what system you use. Even if you use 1 master cone technique…when the master cone matches the final rotary file…and u heat the end of it in a slight lateral/vertical combo…still the results from heated systems show better seal…either way, clean the the heck out of the canals…lots of irrigation with sterilizing agents…we all know what they are…

  • Alvin June 17th, 2008

    I’ve used Fil-techniques (Thermafil and Soft-core) in the past. But there are expensive and shrinkage problem.
    I recommend that the premixed filling technique be better for perfect RCT.
    Roeko’s Guttaflow is 3D Root Canal Filling. Also the BioCeramic paste like MTA Sealer is better than Fil-techniques. Recently I used iRoot SP (Calcium Phosphate Silicate Cement) in syringe style. It’s for single cone method or without Gutta Percha Points. Just inject the paste to the root canal. Even in severe curved canal, it has good result.
    Many innovative materials are in the market.
    Good Luck!!!

  • neda heidari August 6th, 2008

    I want to know how do you select the size of master gutta

  • Diogo Guerreiro September 16th, 2008

    “In 27 years of doing endo the only failures I’ve ever had no matter what system I tried was with the Thermafil system. The fills would look great but 3-5 years later they would fail.”

    Your problem is clearly not with obturation.
    100% of RCT failures are due to bacteria.
    Either you did not desinfect the canals properly or your post rehab of the tooth allowed infiltration. It has nothing to do with obturation.

    Thermafil and System B wave of condensation are nowadays the best way to seal the portals of exit.

  • Alvin December 16th, 2008

    Thermafil and System B wave of condensation are the good way to seal the canal. Not best way.

    Thermafil is obvious to be good filling method. But the void or shrinkage (risk of reinfection) is remained. There are lots of articles on journals.

    Recently, I have used BioCeramic Sealer like Brasseler EndoSequence BC Sealer. Perfect. Easy. And incredible. If you want to fill the canals perfectly (monoblock system), you can try EndoSequence BC Sealer.

    Best regards,

  • Dr. Richards January 25th, 2009

    Stay away from anything that cannot be retreated. The BioCeramic sealer will be a nightmware, as is EndoREZ, or the many equivalents. Take your time, use quality materials, and stop mimicking quality by using thermafil. If you want to do great endo, stop looking for shortcuts. Learn the anatomy, proper instrumentation and irrigation, and use a 3-d obturation system that is predictable, has good length control, minimizes the film thickness of sealer, and isn’t PLASTIC that looks like GP. If all you want is a good looking radiographic result, there are plenty of options that dental material marketing companies will gladly sell you.

  • Clifford January 28th, 2009

    Dear Dr. Richards,
    The BioCeramic Sealer can be a nightmare like EndoREZ.
    Or it can be a dream.
    As the thermafil is 3D obturation system, it is predicable? Just putting the thermofil is possible to seal the canal? The question was Thermafil vs. Soft-Core.
    As I understand that the Thermafil is quality obturation system, so many manufacturers are mimicking by quality Thermafil. How about RealSeal 1?
    I prefer to traditional method of GP and Sealer. There is no reason to use expensive ThermaFil or any kinds of mimicking Fil System.

  • Dr. Richards March 9th, 2009

    Clifford,

    I think your point is valid, that in many instances the materials/techniques that are used may not be critical. The problem that arises is when one method is thought to be adaptable to all circumstances.

    Alvin seems to love the upcoming Bioceramic sealer from Brasseler. (Any financial interest in its promotion?) I have never used it, so I don’t know the properties of it. I have read their claim that to reatreat it simply remove it with ultrasonics. This makes me very skeptical, as ultrasonics can only access areas on relatively straight canals. When I finish a prep at the canal terminus, I don’t want to EVER go there with an ultrasonic. Bye-bye tooth, hello implant. Not in that patient’s best interest.

    My knock on Thermafil is that it hides the ability to truly assess the quality of the fill. You can’t discern the carrier from the GP. Can it seal a whole canal? Depends on if or where where the GP gets stripped off the carrier. Worst of all, it accompanies a tendency of looking for shortcuts. When the canal isn’t fully prepared or cleaned, it created a hydraulic piston to force canal contents out of the tooth. Poor length control, combined with impatient canal preps lead to failure. At least if using GP you know GP is in the canal. If worried about shrinkage, use a longer, more controlled slow pressure pack. This will flow the GP into canal depressions and work better. A true warm vertical technique needs to plasticize the GP closer to the WL than a 5 mm deep sear will allow.

    I don’t know about RealSeal 1. I just think that by mimicking a poor system you get another poor system. Just my opinion.

  • paul March 26th, 2009

    When they say the Bioceramic sealer can be removed in retreat they mean by using an ultrasonic to agitate a canal filled with edta or something (cloroform, etc) that will soften the sealer first. You use so little of it. There is no expectation that a sonic tip will get all the way down the canal. When its softened your files can easily cut it away. the sealer itself actually bonds in a moist environment thats why I like it.

  • Woody Smith January 21st, 2010

    There are many new products on the market. If you like carrier based systems you should try OneFill from Guidance Endo. They have great pricing and the product works very well. You can use most ovens as well

  • Johnson February 17th, 2010

    Thermafil is better than Soft-core and ActiV GP-Brasseler- (bioceramic sealer) in sealability.
    Tulsa Dental released the micro CT Scan at the new website-2009-. www.3dfill.com

  • Alvin May 13th, 2010

    BC BioCeramic Sealer is absolutely different from ActiV GP (Glass Ionomer GP & Sealer). Tulsa Dental doesn’t have any orthograde filling with bioceramic technology.

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