title: Antimicrobial efficacy of different root canal sealers by using real-time polymerase chain reaction: An ex vivo study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Root canal sealers help to minimize leakage, provides antimicrobial activity to reduce the possibility of residual bacteria, and to resolve periapical lesion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare five different root canal sealers against Enterococcus faecalis in an infected root canal model by using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty human mandibular premolars were sectioned to standardize a uniform length of 14 mm. Fifty microliters of the inoculum containing E. faecalis were transferred into each microcentrifuge tube (n = 60). The samples were divided into six groups Tubli-Seal, Apexit Plus, Fillapex, AH Plus, RoekoSeal, and Positive control, respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five groups after the incubation with the microorganism E. faecalis were coated with different root canal sealers and obturated using F3 ProTaper Gutta-percha point. The dentinal shavings were collected and analyzed for RT-PCR.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mean difference between six groups was calculated using analysis of variance and post-hoc test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest antibacterial activity was achieved with Tubli-Seal (1938.13 DNA in pictogram [pg]) and least by RoekoSeal (3034.54 DNA in pg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The maximum antimicrobial activity was achieved AH Plus and Tubli-Seal. RT-PCR can be used as a valuable and accurate tool for testing antimicrobial activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Rajas Dental College and Hospital, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: R Gnana
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Seelan
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Rajas Dental College and Hospital, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: A Arvind
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Rajas Dental College and Hospital, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: R Jonathan
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Emil Sam
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Rajas Dental College and Hospital, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: S Uma
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Maheswari
keywords: Dentine blocks; Enterococcus faecalis; polymerase chain reaction; root canal sealer