An assessment of anti bacterial activity of four endodontic sealers on entererococcus faecalis by a direct contact test -- An in vitro study

The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro the duration of the antimicrobial effect of endodontic sealers by means of the Direct Contact Test. The direct contact test is based on turbidometric determination of bacterial growth in 96-well microtiter plates. Enterococcus faecalis employed widely for testing antimicrobial activity of endodontic materials was obtained. The tested materials were categorized as, Group I - Zinc oxide eugenol sealer [DPI], Group II -Glass ionomer sealer [KEtac Endo Applicap], Group III - Polydimethyl siloxane based [Gutta flow], Group IV - Resin based [Endo Rez], Group V - Control - Bacterial suspension in the absence of sealer. The results were read as presence/absence of microbial growth and analyzed statistically. It was concluded that the structural features and virulence of endodontopathic microorganisms determine their response to the sealers, independently of the time during which sealers act and the mechanism by which the antiseptic reaches the microorganism, which in this case was by direct contact.