The goal of obturation is to fill the canal space in three dimensions and provide a coronal, lateral and apical seal.
Guttapercha is the most widely-used obturation material. It has the benefits of being biocompatible, radiopaque and easy to manipulate. Various obturation techniques with gutta-percha are currently practiced including warm vertical compaction and lateral compaction. Since many root canal systems are ovoid, use of a cold filling system provides better adaption to the complexity of the root canal. To ensure a tight seal the gutta-percha should be combined with a sealer.