title: Ex vivo antimicrobial efficacy of the EndoVac system plus photodynamic therapy associated with calcium hydroxide against intracanal Enterococcus faecalis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the ex vivo efficacy of the EndoVac system and photodynamic treatment (PDT) as adjuncts to chemomechanical debridement associated with calcium hydroxide (CaOH2 ) in reducing the levels of intracanal Enterococcus faecalis.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty-five sterile premolar teeth were conventionally accessed, prepared and then contaminated with E. faecalis (ATCC 29212) for 30 days. Teeth were randomly divided into 4 groups: Control (chemomechanical debridement with conventional irrigation); Endovac (chemomechanical debridement with EndoVac system); PDT (chemomechanical debridement with conventional irrigation and PDT) and Endovac+PDT (chemomechanical debridement with EndoVac and PDT). The irrigants used in all groups were 5.25% sodium hypochlorite and 17% EDTA. After treatment, an intracanal dressing (CaOH2 ) was applied in all canals for 7 days. Samples were obtained before (T1) and after the therapeutic procedures (T2) and, after intracanal medication (T3), plated onto BHI media and incubated (37 °C, 48 h) to determine the colony-forming units (CFU mL(-1) ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall mean cell counts (CFU mL(-1) ) of E. faecalis were high at the initial contamination (T1). A significant reduction (P < 0.05) of E. faecalis mean counts was observed in all groups from baseline (T1) to both post-therapy samplings (T2 and T3); no differences amongst the groups were detected. No significant change in bacterial counts from T2 to T3 was detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The adjunctive use of the EndoVac system and the photodynamic treatment, in combination or not, was as effective as the conventional chemomechanical debridement associated with CaOH2 on reducing the counts of intracanal E. faecalis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Souto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gusman
authors.forename: A P V
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Colombo
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000187:drug effects; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000382:microbiology*; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D004492:Edetic Acid; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide