In vitro analysis of antimicrobial activity of theree endodontic sealers

The aim of this study was to analyse the anti-microbial activity of the endodontic sealers AH Plus (A), Endofill (E) and Sealer 26 (S), immediately after their manipulation and in contact with isolate cultures of E. faecalis (EF), P. aeruginosa (PA), S. aureus (SA) and C. albicans (CA). For this purpose, 9 samples of each sealer were obtained by pouring the sealers into paper filter discs having 5 mm diameter. Eight samples, two for each microorganism, were placed into Petri dishes containing the innoculated culture media in Brain Heart Infusion – Agar (BHI-A). One sample served as sterility control, placed on a dish containing sterile culture media. The negative control consisted of a BHI-A containing dish not inoculated. The dishes were incubated in a bacteriological oven for 48 hours and then the inhibition zones were measured through a digital pachymeter. The average zones for A, E and S were, respectively (mm): 0.70, 3.13 and 1.79 to EF; 1.08, 3.40 and 3.01 to PA; 0.72, 3.16 and 4.03 to SA; 1.32, 2.59 and 1.40 to CA. Both negative control and sterility control showed no microbial growth. All the sealers tested showed antimicrobial activity. In an ascending order, the inhibition zones were A, S and E for the cultures of EF, PA and CA; for the cultures of SA, the ascending order was A, E and S. UNITERMS: root canal obturation; endodontics; infection.