No abstract

Concentration of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is positively correlated with its effectiveness in root canal disinfection but negatively correlated with its biocompatibility. The objective of this in vitro study was to compare the bactericidal effects among ultrasonic irrigation with different concentration of NaOCl alone or together with photodynamic treatment (PDT) against Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) in infected root canals. One hundred and twenty bovine root canals contaminated with E. faecalis were randomly distributed into 12 groups treated with different disinfection methods: PDT, ultrasonic irrigation with NaOCl at different concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 2.5% and 5.25%), and ultrasonic irrigation with NaOCl at different concentrations plus PDT. Data of microorganism load were collected before and after disinfection and analyzed by one-way ANOVA and LSD tests. Significantly enhanced antibacterial effects were noticed in groups treated by PDT plus 2.0% or 2.5% NaOCl irrigation (P < 0.05). No statistical differences existed in bactericidal efficacy among groups of PDT plus ultrasonic irrigation with 2.0%, 2.5% or 5.25% NaOCl, and ultrasonic irrigation with 5.25% NaOCl alone (P > 0.05). Our study confirmed the feasibility to reduce the concentration of NaOCl to a safer level while maintaining its antibacterial efficiency through synergistic effect of PDT with NaOCl ultrasonic irrigation.

Various antimicrobial modalities have been proposed to treat peri‐implantitis but resulted in limited outcomes. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the disinfection efficacy of combined application of chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) of titanium surfaces previously contaminated with Porphyromonas gingivalis biofilm. P. gingivalis biofilms were grown on 32 polished and 32 sandblasted large‐grit acid‐etched (SLA) titanium surfaces. Titanium disks were allocated into four groups as follows: (1) immersed in phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS), (2) immersed in 0.2% CHX, (3) application of aPDT and (4) immersed in 0.2% CHX and subsequent aPDT. Residual bacteria were determined by microbial culture analysis and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging. Combination protocol (CHX+ aPDT) was the most effective in eradicating P. gingivalis (P < 0.05) on both polished and SLA surfaces. There was no significant difference in the number of remaining P. gingivalis between polished titanium disks and the SLA ones in four groups (P > 0.05). Under the limitation of this study, combined technique of preceding application of CHX and subsequent aPDT was shown to be an efficient method in reducing P. gingivalis numbers in both polished and SLA titanium surfaces.

No abstract

No abstract