Antimicrobial effect of six endodontic sealers: an in vitro evaluation

the aim of this study was to determine the in vitro antimicrobial effect of six endodontic sealers after 2, 20 and 40 days. The sealers studied were A pexit, Endion, AH26, AH-Plus, Procosol and Ketac Endo. The microorganisms u sed were Candida Albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans and Actinomyces israelii. Petri dishes were filled with sterile agar and 0.1-ml wells were prepared and filled with the sealers. The agar plates were stor ed for 24 h at 37 degrees C. The samples were then removed, immersed in 4.5 ml of culture medium and divided into three groups. The samples in group 1 were stored for 2 days at 37 degrees C whereas the samples of groups 2 and 3 were stored at 4 degrees C for 20 and 40 days respectively. The samples were then removed and discarded, and 0.1 ml of the culture medium was seede d on the agar plates in order to perform colony forming unit counts. Apexit , Endion and AH-Plus produced slight inhibition on Streptococcus mutans at 20 days and on Actinomyces israelii at every time interval. No effect was f ound on Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus. Ketac Endo only produce d an antimicrobial effect on Actinomyces israelii at 2 and 40 days. AH26 an d Procosol showed antimicrobial effect at 40 days on Candida albicans, at 2 0 and 40 days on Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus aureus, an an effe ctive inhibition on Actinomyces israelii at every time interval. Statistica l analysis revealed both sealers and microorganisms to be significant facto rs affecting results in groups 2 and 3. In conclusion, the sealers evaluate d in this study showed different inhibitory effects depending on time span. Overall, sealers containing eugenol and formaldehyde proved to be most eff ective against the microorganisms at the time intervals studied.