Bacterial entombment by intratubular mineralization following orthograde mineral trioxide aggregate obturation: a scanning electron microscopy study

The time domain entombment of bacteria by intratubular mineralization following orthograde canal obturation with mineral trioxide aggregate(MTA) was studied by scanning electron microscopy(SEM). Single-rooted human premolars(n560) were instrumented to an apical size #50/0.06 using ProF ile and treated as follows: Group 1(n510) was filled with phosphate buffered saline(PBS); Group 2(n510) was incubated with Enterococcus faecalis for 3 weeks, and then filled with PBS; Group 3(n520) was obturated orthograde with a paste of OrthoM TA(BioM TA, Seoul, Korea) and PBS; and Group 4(n520) was incubated with E. faecalis for 3 weeks and then obturated with OrthoM TA–PBS paste. Following their treatments, the coronal openings were sealed with PBS-soaked cotton and intermediate restorative material(IRM), and the roots were then stored in PBS for 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 weeks. After each incubation period, the roots were split and their dentin/MTA interfaces examined in both longitudinal and horizontal directions by SEM. There appeared to be an increase in intratubular mineralization over time in the OrthoM TA-filled roots(Groups 3 and 4). Furthermore, there was a gradual entombment of bacteria within the dentinal tubules in the E. faecalis inoculated MTA-filled roots(Group 4). Therefore, the orthograde obturation of root canals with OrthoM TA mixed with PBS may create a favorable environment for bacterial entombment by intratubular mineralization.