title: Sealing Dentin Caries with Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Decreases Lesion Progression and Bacterial Survival in an Experimental Model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if sealing dentin caries with a resin-modified glass ionomer (RMGI) decreases the number of viable microorganisms and demineralization depth, using an experimental dentin caries model of biofilms of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans).
  
  
  METHODS
  Dentin caries lesions were created over a 15-day period on bovine dentin slabs with biofilms of S. mutans UA159. Once lesions were formed, biofilms were removed and the slabs were randomly allocated to one of the treatment groups: group A, surface sealed with a RMGI; or group B, unsealed slabs (control). At 5, 10, and 15 days, slabs were longitudinally sectioned to analyze the number of infiltrating viable bacteria by culturing on agar plates and demineralization depth by cross-sectional Knoop microhardness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dentin lesions sealed with RMGI decreased bacterial counts from the infected dentin, both with respect to baseline counts and also relative to the unsealed control (p < 0.05). Consistently, demineralization depth was lower for sealed lesions when compared with unsealed slabs (p < 0.05) at all analyzed time points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sealing dentin lesions with RMGI appears to halt lesion progression in this experimental model by reducing bacterial viability.
authors.forename: María Susana
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Contardo
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Sandoval
authors.forename: Rodrigo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Giacaman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058491:Bacterial Load; D018441:Biofilms; D002417:Cattle; D001840:Dental Bonding; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003804:Dentin / Q000382:microbiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements / Q000737:chemistry*; D006244:Hardness; D050296:Microbial Viability; D011897:Random Allocation; D019279:Resin Cements / Q000737:chemistry*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D017001:Tooth Demineralization / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D019279:Resin Cements