title: A comparative evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy and flow properties for Epiphany, Guttaflow and AH-Plus sealer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the antimicrobial efficacy and flow properties of Guttaflow, Epiphany sealer and AH-Plus sealer.
  
  
  METHODS
  With the use of Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 as a test organism, both the agar diffusion test (ADT) and direct contact test (DCT) were performed. For DCT, sealers were mixed and placed over the bottom of sterile screw-capped test tubes. A 50 μL bacterial suspension was placed on the tested material samples. Bacteria were allowed to directly come in contact with the sealers for 1 h at 37 °C in one group and for 24 h in the other group. The suspensions were then diluted and inoculated over blood agar plates, and bacterial colony counts were determined with the use of a digital colony counter. The data in both 1- and 24-h groups were individually analysed using repeated measures ANOVA. Kruskal Wallis tests were further used to obtain comparison between 1- and 24-h results for all three sealers. In the flow assay, the sealers were placed between two glass slides, and a weight of 500 g was placed on the top of the glass. The diameters of the formed discs were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For both the ADT and DCT tests, Epiphany and AH-Plus sealer reduced the bacterial counts significantly (P = 0.000). Epiphany produced a greater reduction in bacterial counts when compared to AH-Plus in both the tests (P = 0.000). Guttaflow paste failed to show any antibacterial activity in both ADT & DCT. According to the flow test, all root canal sealers flowed; Epiphany sealer had the maximum flow under the given conditions, followed by AH-Plus sealer and Guttaflow paste.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antimicrobial activity of the sealers was greatest for Epiphany followed by AH-Plus sealer and Guttaflow. Epiphany sealer had the maximum flow followed by AH-Plus sealer and Guttaflow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi, India. r_roongta@yahoo.com
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Nawal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parande
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sehgal
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naik
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003763:Dental Leakage / Q000517:prevention & control; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000494:pharmacology; D004338:Drug Combinations; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004853:Epoxy Resins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006171:Gutta-Percha / Q000494:pharmacology; D008422:Materials Testing; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012212:Rheology; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004853:Epoxy Resins; C515718:GuttaFlow; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; C486893:epiphany sealer; C534916:epoxy resin-based root canal sealer; D006171:Gutta-Percha