An in vitro evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of three root canal sealers

Abstract EN

Background : The antimicrobial agents are added to root canal sealers to improve their antibacterial effect.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate three root canal sealers (DORIFILL, ENDOFILL, APEXIT PLUS) for their antimicrobial effect by using the agar diffusion test (ADT).

Materials and Methods : The antimicrobial effect of three root canal sealers was tested by the agar diffusion test.

Fifteen petriplates .

Five cavities , each one measuring 5 ml in diameter and 4 ml in depth, were made in each agar plates using cork poorer and then completely filled with the products to be tested.

All plates were incubated for 72 hours at 37°C under aerobic conditions, and zones of inhibition were measured.

Statistical analysis was conducted using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), P value equal or greater than 0.05 was considered as a statistically non significant, P value equal or greater than 0.01 and less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant, were as P less than 0.01 was considered as statistically highly significant.

Results : All of the sealers caused bacterial growth inhibition.

Their effectiveness, in descending order of antimicrobial activity, was as follows : ENDOFILL DEXAMETHASONE, DORIFILL, APEXIT PLUS.

The sustaining period of the antimicrobial action of all types of sealers used in this study was 24 hrs only.

No antimicrobial activity was seen after 72 hrs.

Conclusions : Root canal sealers showed different inhibitory effects depending on their types and the bacterial strains tested.

Root canal sealers containing Dexamethasone and eugenol proved to be effective against the microorganisms studied.