Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)‎

Abstract EN

Aims : To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of MTA against selected microorganisms compared with a widely used root end filling materials.

Materials and methods : Fifteen mm discs of MTA, GIC and Amalgam were prepared and three types of microorganisms; two bacteria and one fungus, were grown in 4 ml of brain heart infusion broth for 18 hr.

Then 0.5 ml of each growth was spread over selected media (three plates for each sample) and the discs were applied on the agar, incubated for 24-48 hr and the zone of inhibition was measured.

Results : Amalgam did not demonstrate any antimicrobial activity, whereas MTA showed antimicrobial effect against all tested microorganisms and was highly significant.

GIC showed antibacterial activity comparable to MTA but failed to produce antifungal effect.

Conclusions : MTA demonstrated antibacterial and antifungal effect, while GIC showed only antibacterial activity, whereas Amalgam did not show any activity.