title: Residual activity of chelating agents and their combinations with cetrimide on root canals infected with Enterococcus faecalis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of chelating agents in endodontic treatment is required to remove the smear layer and to achieve better disinfection within the root canal system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the residual antimicrobial activity of 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), 7% maleic acid (MA), and 10% lactic acid (LA) alone and combined with 0.2% cetrimide (CTR) on infected root canals with Enterococcus faecalis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biofilms of E. faecalis were grown in uniradicular roots for 4 weeks. After preparation the roots were randomly divided into 6 groups (n = 15) according to the final irrigation regimen as follows: 5 mL of 17% EDTA; 5 mL of 17% EDTA + 0.2% CTR; 5 mL of 7% MA; 5 mL of 7% MA + 0.2% CTR; 5 mL of 10% LA; and 5 mL of 10% LA + 0.2% CTR. Samples were collected for 60 days to denote the presence of bacterial growth. Fisher and Pearson χ(2) tests were applied to compare the percentages of specimens without E. faecalis regrowth at all the time periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences in bacterial regrowth between the groups with and without CTR. There were not significant differences over time among the 3 groups with CTR or among the 3 without CTR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The residual activity against E. faecalis of 7% MA + 0.2% CTR, 17% EDTA + 0.2% CTR, and 10% LA + 0.2% CTR was greater than the use of chelating agents alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. cferrer@ugr.es
authors.forename: Carmen María
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ferrer-Luque
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conde-Ortiz
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Arias-Moliz
authors.forename: Mariano José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Valderrama
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baca
mesh_terms: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects; D000077286:Cetrimonium; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000382:microbiology*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008298:Maleates / Q000494:pharmacology; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds; D002614:Chelating Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008298:Maleates; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D019344:Lactic Acid; C030272:maleic acid; D004492:Edetic Acid; D000077286:Cetrimonium