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Leakage of food‐borne Enterococcus faecalis through temporary fillings in a simulated oral environment
Author(s) -
Kampfer J.,
Göhring T. N.,
Attin T.,
Zehnder M.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
international endodontic journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.988
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1365-2591
pISSN - 0143-2885
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2591.2007.01252.x
Subject(s) - enterococcus faecalis , dentistry , molar , root canal , pulp (tooth) , agar plate , materials science , leakage (economics) , food science , medicine , chemistry , biology , bacteria , genetics , staphylococcus aureus , macroeconomics , economics
Aim To evaluate the hypothesis that food‐borne viable Enterococcus faecalis cells could enter the root canal space via coronal leakage. Methodology In a simulated oral environment under mastication the capacity of a calcium sulphate‐based temporary filling material (Cavit W) to prevent leakage of E. faecalis from a cheese through the endodontic access cavity into the pulp chamber was assessed. Standardized class I access cavities were prepared in human maxillary molars. These were filled with Cavit of either 2 or 4 mm thickness ( n = 16, each). Empty access cavities served as positive, teeth filled with a light‐curing composite material acted as negative controls ( n = 8, each). A cheese containing viable E. faecalis cells was placed on the occlusal aspects of test and control teeth, which were subsequently subjected to 680 mastication loads per day for 1 week in a masticator device perfused with artificial saliva at 37 °C. Leakage of E. faecalis from the cheese into the pulp chamber was assessed by culture on a kanamycin aesculin azide agar and compared between groups using Fisher's exact test. Results All of the positive controls showed pure growth of E. faecalis . In addition, one of the negative control teeth leaked. The 4 mm application of Cavit prevented leakage of E. faecalis significantly better than the corresponding 2 mm application: 1 of 16 specimens compared with 6 of 16 specimens had leakage, respectively ( P < 0.05). Conclusions The current results substantiate the suspicion that food‐derived microbiota could enter the necrotic root canal system via microleakage.