title: Susceptibility of methacrylate-based root canal filling to degradation by bacteria found in endodontic infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present a case of endodontic failure obturated with a methacrylate-based root filling material, Resilon/RealSeal (RS). To determine if RS is susceptible to biodegradation by endodontically relevant microbes by a method known to show RS degradation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Emulsions of RS were dispersed in agar with minimal bacterial nutrients in culture plates. Lipase PS served as a positive control. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Porphyromonas asaccharolytica, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis were tested for their ability to biodegrade RS. The bacteria were inoculated in the plates and examined daily for RS degradation for 7 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Degradation of the emulsified RS manifested in the formation of clear zones around P aeruginosa, P intermedia, P asaccharolytica, S aureus, and S epidermidis. No degradation was seen with the other tested bacteria or in plates that did not contain RS emulsion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endodontic pathogenic bacteria can degrade RS. These findings complement other work and suggest that the seal and integrity of root canal fillings obturated with RS may be impaired by a microbial insult.
authors.forename: Jenny D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Whatley
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Spolnik
authors.forename: Mychel M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Vail
authors.forename: Benjamin H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Ruijie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: Ygal
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008689:Methacrylates; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials
chemical_list: D008689:Methacrylates; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials