Gutta-percha

Gutta-percha is a name for a set of trees, mostly of the genus Palaquium, noted for their latex, or the rigid natural latex produced from the sap of these trees, particularly from Palaquium gutta. During the second half of the 19th century, gutta-percha was used for myriad domestic and industrial purposes, and it became a household word. In particular, it was needed as insulation for underwater telegraph cables, which led to unsustainable harvesting and a collapse of the supply. The word 'gutta-percha' comes from the plant's name in Malay, getah perca, which translates as "percha sap".

In dentistry, gutta-percha is a material used to fill a tooth after a root canal procedure. It is the predominant material used to obturate, or fill, the empty space inside the root of a tooth after it has undergone endodontic treatment. During the root canal procedure, the tooth's damaged area, known as the pulp, is removed, and the tooth's canals are cleaned out and disinfected before being filled and sealed. Gutta-percha is the thermoplastic filling material heated and compressed into the tooth's canal, then sealed with adhesive cement.