title: Antibacterial efficacy of intracanal medicaments on bacterial biofilm: a critical review.
abstract: The purpose of this paper is to discuss critically the antibacterial efficacy of intracanal medicaments on bacterial biofilm. Longitudinal studies were evaluated by a systematic review of English-language articles retrieved from electronic biomedical journal databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL) and handsearching records, using different matches of keywords for root canal biofilm, between 1966 and August 1st, 2007. The selected articles were identified from titles, abstracts and full-text articles by two independent reviewers, considering the tabulated inclusion and exclusion criteria. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. The search retrieved 91 related articles, of which 8.8% referred to in vivo studies demonstrating the lack of efficacy of endodontic therapy on bacterial biofilm. Intracanal medicaments were found to have a limited action against bacterial biofilm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Science, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil. estrela3@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Estrela
authors.forename: Gilson Blitzkow
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Sydney
authors.forename: José Antonio Poli
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Cyntia Rodrigues de Araújo
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Estrela
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012388:Root Canal Irrigants