Surface antibacterial properties of fissure sealants.
OBJECTIVE
Sealants form a physical barrier between the oral environment and deep fissures that contribute to caries prevention. It is postulated that sealants possessing antibacterial properties are advantageous. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial properties of four pit and fissure sealants using direct contact test (DCT) and agar diffusion test (ADT).


METHODS
For the DCT, 8 samples of Helioseal F (Vivadent), Ultraseal XT (Ultadent-Weldent), Conseal F (SDI), and Dyract Seal (Dentsply) were placed on the sidewalls of wells of a 96-microtiter plate. After polymerization, freshly grown Streptococcus mutans cells (circa 1 x 10(6)) were placed on the surface of each sample for 1 hour at 37 degrees C. Fresh media was then added to each well and bacterial growth was followed for 16 hours by temperature-controlled spectrophotometer. Similarly prepared samples were aged in phosphate buffered saline for 14 and 30 days and the DCT was repeated. The ADT was performed by placing samples in uniform wells punched in agar plates.


RESULTS
Freshly polymerized samples in the DCT, Dyract Seal and Ultraseal XT possessed prominent antibacterial properties. Dyract Seal also demonstrated the most potent antibacterial properties, which lasted 14 days but faded within 30 days. In ADT, the halo in the bacterial lawn was measured after 48 hours, and only Dyract Seal demonstrated an inhibition zone.


CONCLUSIONS
The compomer-based sealant Dyract Seal possessed the most potent and longest lasting antibacterial activity.
Matalon
Shlomo
S
Department of Restorative Dentistry, Alpha Omega Research Laboratories, The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Slutzky
Hagay
H
Mazor
Yardena
Y
Weiss
Ervin I
EI
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002021:Buffers; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D020770:Compomers / Q000494:pharmacology; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002021:Buffers; D020770:Compomers; D003188:Composite Resins; C088486:Dyract; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; C106663:Ultra Seal XT; C059908:Helioseal; D012965:Sodium Chloride