Abstract
The aim of this study was to test the antibacterial activity of bioceramic sealer in comparison with AH Plus (Dentsply International Inc, York, PA) on 8-week-old Enterococcus faecalis biofilms attached to root canal surfaces using a dentin infection model.
The canal surfaces of single-rooted intact extracted teeth were infected by growing E. faecalis biofilms for 8 weeks. AH Plus sealer and EndoSequence BC Sealer (Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA) were placed on the root canal wall of the dentin specimens for 24 hours and 2 weeks in humid conditions at 37°C. Infected samples incubated with no sealers for similar periods were used as the negative controls. Specimens were labeled with fluorescent viability staining, and confocal laser scanning microscopy was used as an assessment tool of the proportions of dead and live bacteria on canal walls after exposure to root canal sealers for the determined times.
EndoSequence BC Sealer killed significantly more E. faecalis in biofilm attached to the canal surfaces when compared with AH plus sealer and control at both time points (P < .05–.0005).
EndoSequence BC Sealer exhibited significant antimicrobial capacity in the presence of dentin for up to 2 weeks on an 8-week-old E. faecalis biofilm in comparison with AH Plus sealer.
•The antimicrobial efficacy of bioceramic sealer was tested in an in vitro model.•Dentin was shown to enhance the antimicrobial effect of bioceramic sealer.•Compared with AH Plus, bioceramic sealer significantly killed more Enterococcus faecalis.