Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial activity of root canal sealers is an important factor in the prognosis of root canal treatment, which can be helpful in destroying any remaining root canal microbes.
OBJECTIVE: To determine in vitro antimicrobial activity of four kinds of root canal sealers (AH plus, Vitapex, Guttaflow and Endomethasone).
METHODS: The antimicrobial effects of AH plus, Vitapex, Guttaflow, Endomethasone, the minocycline hydrochloride or miconazole nitrate cream (positive control group) and normal saline (negative control group) against the following microbes: Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans were evaluated using the agar diffusion test in vitro. The diameters of the zones of microbial growth inhibition were measured after 24 hours.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Endomethasone demonstrated an antimicrobial activity for all tested microbes. The mean antimicrobial efficacy of Endomethasone against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans was significantly less as compared with that of the positive control group (P < 0.01); however, the inhibition effect on Enterococcus faecalis was more effective than that on the positive control group (P < 0.01). For AH plus, only Candida albicans was inhibited and presented smaller mean zone of microbial growth inhibition than Endomethasone and the positive control group (P < 0.01). No antimicrobial activity was detected for Vitapex and Guttaflow. It indicats that antimicrobial activity of the four kinds of root canal sealers is greatest for Endomethasone, followed by AH-Plus, whilst Vitapex and Guttaflow have no antimicrobial activity.