title: Comparative evaluation of bactericidal potential of four root canal filling materials against microflora of infected non-vital primary teeth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Since complete debridement of the root canals of the primary teeth is not practically possible due to the highly variable root canal anatomy, success of the endodontic therapy depends partly on the use ofantibacterial irrigating agents and root canal filling materials. Recent literature indicates that anaerobes comprise a majority of the bacteria in necrotic root canals ofprimary teeth. The study determined the antibacterial effectiveness of four root canal filling materials namely Calcium hydroxide, Zinc oxide eugenol, Vitapex and Metapex against microbial specimens obtained directly from necrotic root canals of primary teeth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microbial specimens were collected using sterile paper points, from 15 primary maxillary and mandibular posterior teeth of randomly selected children in the age group of 4-10 years with infected non vital primary teeth, requiring pulpectomy procedure. The microbial specimens collected were subjected to microbiological analysis and the antimicrobial potential of root canal filling materials were tested using Agar diffusion technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Facultative/Aerobic organisms were isolated in all the cases, anaerobic organisms were isolated in 80% of the cases, and Candida albicans was isolated in 1 case. ZOE showed superior inhibitory activity against most of the organisms isolated followed by Vitapex, Calcium hydroxide and Metapex in descending order.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data may be useful as a guide for relative antimicrobial effectiveness or non-effectiveness of the materials employed. In vivo studies are required to state the specific antimicrobial activity and merits and demerits of any of the test filling material.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Yenepoya Dental College Hospital, Mangalore, Karnataka State, India. deerpriya@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harini Priya
authors.forename: Sham S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sundeep Hegde
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003790:Dental Pulp Necrosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D005673:Fusobacterium / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007709:Klebsiella / Q000187:drug effects; D010462:Peptostreptococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D017861:Porphyromonas / Q000187:drug effects; D018720:Prevotella / Q000187:drug effects; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000187:drug effects; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012827:Silicone Oils / Q000494:pharmacology; D012828:Silicones / Q000494:pharmacology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000187:drug effects; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000382:microbiology*; D019553:Tooth, Nonvital / Q000382:microbiology*; D014678:Veillonella / Q000187:drug effects; D034363:Viridans Streptococci / Q000187:drug effects; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; C498115:Metapex; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D012827:Silicone Oils; D012828:Silicones; D015035:Zinc Oxide-Eugenol Cement; C029584:calcium hydroxide, iodoform, silicone oil drug combination; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide