No abstract

The antimicrobial activity of four root canal sealers (AH Plus, Sealapex, Ketac Endo, and Fill Canal), two calcium hydroxide pastes (Calen and Calasept), and a zinc oxide paste was evaluated. Seven bacterial strains were used, six of them standard; Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 10541. There was a wild strain of Streptococcus mutans isolated from saliva obtained in an adult dental clinic. Activity was evaluated using the agar diffusion method with Brain Heart Infusion agar and Müller Hinton medium seeded by pour plate. Calcium hydroxide-based sealers and pastes were either placed directly into 4.0 x 4.0 mm wells or by using absorbent paper points. The plates were kept at room temperature for 2 hr for diffusion. After incubation at 37 degrees C for 24 hr, the medium was optimized with 0.05 g% TTC gel and inhibition haloes were measured. All bacterial strains were inhibited by all materials using the well method. However, when the materials were applied with absorbent paper points, Enterococcus faecalis was not inhibited by zinc oxide, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was not inhibited by AH Plus, Fill Canal, and the zinc oxide-based paste. We conclude that sealers and pastes presented antimicrobial activity in vitro and culture medium optimization with 0.05 g% TTC gel facilitated observation of the inhibition haloes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of bacterial biofilm on the external surface of the root apex in teeth with pulp necrosis, with and without radiographically visible periapical lesions, and in teeth with a vital pulp. Twenty-one teeth were extracted, eight with pulp necrosis and periapical lesions, eight with pulp necrosis without radiographically visible periapical lesions, and five with a vital pulp. The roots were sectioned, and the root apexes (+/- 3 mm) were processed for scanning electron microscope evaluation. The surface of the apical root was evaluated for the presence of microorganisms, root resorption, and biofilm. There were no microorganisms on the apical root surface of either teeth with pulp vitality or with pulp necrosis with no radiographically visible periapical lesions. Microorganisms were always present in teeth with pulp necrosis and radiographically visible periapical lesions. These included cocci, bacilli, and filaments and the presence of an apical biofilm. Apical biofilm is clinically important because microbial biofilms are inherently resistant to antimicrobial agents and cannot be removed by biomechanical preparation alone. This may cause failure of endodontic treatment as a consequence of persistent infection.

In this laboratory study, the iPex accurately identified the apical foramen or the apical opening location for working length measurement in primary molar teeth.

The objective of this research was to evaluate, by scanning electron microscopy, the apical structure of extracted human permanent teeth with different degrees of pulp and periapical pathology. A total of 25 teeth were extracted: 5 teeth with vital pulp (group I); 10 teeth with pulp necrosis without radiographically visible periapical lesion (group II); 10 teeth with pulp necrosis with radiographically visible periapical lesion (group III). The root apex was sectioned and processed for scanning electron microscopy. In groups I and II, fibers covered the root cementum and there was no cementum resorption or microorganisms. There were areas of cementum resorption in group III with microorganisms on the root apex surface (biofilm) and no fibers. The authors conclude that the presence of chronic periapical lesions causes severe changes in the apical structure with a destruction of fibers and different degrees of cementum resorption forming lacunae in which bacterial biofilm persisted.

The use of ultrasound proved to be an efficient method for the removal of metallic particles from the surface of stainless steel and Ni-Ti endodontic instruments.

The antimicrobial activity of irrigating solutions--Endoquil (castor oil detergent), 2% chlorhexidine gluconate solution, and 0.5% NaOCl solution-was evaluated against gram-positive cocci (Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mutans, and Streptococcus sobrinus), gram-negative rods (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and the yeast Candida albicans. Activity was evaluated using the two-layer agar diffusion technique. The base layer was obtained by pouring 10.0 ml of Muller Hinton Medium or 10.0 ml of Brain Heart Infusion agar in a Petri dish. After solidification a 5.0 ml seed layer of Muller Hinton Medium or Brain Heart Infusion agar with inoculum (106/ml) was added. Absorbent paper disks (6.0 mm in diameter) immersed in the solutions were placed at equidistant points. Plates were maintained at room temperature for 2 h for prediffusion of the solutions and incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 h. The candle jar system was used for the Brain Heart Infusion agar plates. All tests were performed in duplicate. After incubation the medium was optimized with 0.05 g% triphenyltetrazolium chlorate gel and inhibition halos were measured. All bacterial strains were inhibited by 2.0% chlorhexidine gluconate. Endoquil was effective against gram-positive microorganisms, and 0.5% NaOCl was effective only against S. aureus.

2010Professor Substituto na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. DEDICO ESTE TRABALHOÀ minha orientadora, Profa. Léa Assed Bezerra da Silva, um ser HUMANO de coração bom. Iluminada por DEUS. Uma cientista, que faz as coisas parecerem fáceis. A professora alimenta o sonho e o conhecimento dos que a cercam, sempre disposta a ajudar, sob todos os aspectos. Pessoa justa, íntegra, verdadeira, honesta, solícita, amiga. Uma líder NATA.Provavelmente, para senhora professora, esse seja mais um trabalho frente a sua vasta e qualificada produção científica. Porém, para mim, é uma oportunidade única na vida de poder dizer: sou Doutor pela Universidade de São Paulo. Obrigado professora, muito obrigado.À Professora Izabel Yoko Ito (In Memorium). Como a senhora fez e faz falta. Hoje, mais maduro, consigo entender sua forma peculiar de demonstrar o quanto gostava de mim.Nunca conseguiria retribuir o quanto a senhora foi boa. Ainda, me trazendo bons frutos.Aliás, sempre fazendo o bem para as pessoas ao seu lado. Amiga, mãe, orientadora, mentora, uma mestre. Obrigado por tudo professora. Deus com certeza guardou um lugar especial para a senhora.À minha "nova" família (Bere, Memell e Luquinha). O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar quantitativamente, in vivo, a resposta dos tecidos apicais e periapicais de dentes de cães com lesão periapical crônica, induzida experimentalmente, após tratamento de canal radicular e obturação endodôntica empregando os seguintes cimentos: EndoREZ, Real Seal e Sealapex. Canais radiculares não obturados (curativo de demora) foram utilizados como controle. Após a obtenção de lesões periapicais experimentalmente induzidas, os dentes foram submetidos à abertura coronária, neutralização do conteúdo necrótico, preparo biomecânico, curativo de demora com uma pasta à base de hidróxido de cálcio (Calen) e obturação dos canais radiculares com os diferentes cimentos obturadores citados. Decorridos os períodos de 30 e 90 dias, os animais foram mortos e o material submetido ao processamento histotécnico. A análise microscópica pelo método quantitativo de avaliação foi realizada em microscópio Axio Imager.M1 (Zeiss), acoplado a uma câmera AxioCam MRc5 (Zeiss). Foi registrada a descrição completa das características dos tecidos apicais e periapicais e efetuada a quantificação do número de células inflamatórias e das extensões das áreas da lesão periapical em mm 2 , a presença de reabsorção óssea e a presença de selamento biológico apical, em imagens microscópicas obtidas de cortes histológicos corados por hematoxilina e eosina, utilizando o Software AxioVision Rel.4.6 (Automatic Measurements Programs -Program Wizard). Os valores obtidos foram avaliados quanto ao tipo de distribuição e comparados por meio da análise de variância (ANOVA), seguido pelo pós-teste de Tukey, com nível de significância de 5%. A presença e extensão do infiltrado inflamatório além da metade do ligamento periodontal foi observada em todos os cimentos avaliados, tanto no período de 30 quanto 90 dias, sendo predominantemente mononuclear. ...