title: Microbial invasion of dentinal tubules: a literature review and a new perspective.
abstract: Various features of endodontic microbiology have been investigated using various methods. The aim of the present study was to review the existing literature on endodontic microbiology in dentinal tubules, and to present the features of two cases with endodontic pathology. An electronic search was performed with a search string created ad hoc. Ex vivo and in vitro studies were included, recording the method of detection and characteristics of analyzed teeth. Twenty studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Seven of them were in vitro laboratory studies on teeth inoculated after extraction, while 13 were ex vivo studies on extracted, infected teeth. Endodontic bacteria were detected in dentinal tubules, both as single units and as biofilm aggregates. Two similar in vitro cases presented here corroborate the latter findings. A number of techniques have been utilized to observe bacteria in the dentinal tubule ecosystem. Dentinal tubules are favorable niches for microbial survival, either in the form of monomicrobial or polymicrobial communities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taschieri
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Fabbro
authors.forename: Lakshman
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Samaranayake
authors.forename: Jeffrey W W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Corbella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018441:Biofilms; D003481:Cuspid / Q000293:injuries; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000382:microbiology; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D003804:Dentin / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000293:injuries; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology; D014082:Tooth Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000293:injuries
keywords: dentinal tubule; endodontic bacteria; endodontic infection; endodontic microbiology; microbial invasion