Bacterial and fungal microleakage of AH26 and AH Plus root canal sealers.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the penetration of Candida albicans alone and a combination of bacteria through root canals filled with gutta-percha and one or other root canal sealers, AH26 and AH Plus.


METHODS
Eighty teeth were randomly divided into two groups of 40 teeth each and obturated with gutta-percha using either AH26 or AH Plus sealer. A further 10 teeth served as negative controls and 10 as positive controls. The external surface of each root, except the apical 2 mm, was covered with two layers of nail varnish. The teeth were inserted into Eppendorf plastic tubes and suspended in glass bottles containing sterile Schaedler broth. Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus mitis, Prevotella melaninogenica and Lactobacillus acidophilus were placed in the access cavities of 20 teeth filled with AH26 and 20 with AH Plus. Candida albicans was placed in the access cavities of the other teeth. The culture medium with microorganisms was changed every 7 days. Every 72 h bacterial or fungal growth in the broth was tested up to a period of 90 days.


RESULTS
Leakage in the experimental teeth occurred between 14 and 87 days. Leakage was present in 47% of all samples. From the samples with AH26, 45% leaked bacteria and 60% leaked fungi; whilst from the samples with AH Plus, 50% leaked bacteria and 55% fungi. There was no statistically significant difference in penetration of bacteria and fungi between the sealers.


CONCLUSIONS
In this in vitro study, gutta-percha and the sealers AH26 and AH Plus allowed leakage of bacteria and fungi.
Miletić
I
I
Department of Dental Pathology, School of Dentistry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
Prpić-Mehicić
G
G
Marsan
T
T
Tambić-Andrasević
A
A
Plesko
S
S
Karlović
Z
Z
Anić
I
I
D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D001729:Bismuth / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002175:Candida / Q000254:growth & development*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003763:Dental Leakage / Q000382:microbiology*; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000382:microbiology*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004853:Epoxy Resins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006171:Gutta-Percha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus / Q000254:growth & development; D001443:Prevotella melaninogenica / Q000254:growth & development; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012389:Root Canal Obturation; D018915:Root Canal Preparation; D012834:Silver / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000254:growth & development; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013696:Temperature; D013816:Thermodynamics; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D004338:Drug Combinations; D004853:Epoxy Resins; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; C534916:epoxy resin-based root canal sealer; D012834:Silver; D012965:Sodium Chloride; C028044:epoxy resin AH-26; D006171:Gutta-Percha; D014025:Titanium; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite; D001729:Bismuth