Resistance of experimental glass ionomer cement sealers to bacterial penetration in vitro.

This study evaluated penetration of Enterococcus faecalis in canals filled with glass ionomer cement sealers. Canals of 40 extracted teeth in four equal experimental groups were prepared and filled with KT-308 (experimental sealer) and a single gutta-percha cone (SC), ZUT (KT-308 with an antibacterial agent) and SC, Kerr sealer and vertically compacted gutta-percha (VC), or Kerr sealer with the antibacterial agent and VC. Eight additional teeth served as positive controls and four as negative controls. Pulp chambers were inoculated with E. faecalis, and bacterial penetration through the filled canals was assessed over a period of 90 days. Incidence of bacterial penetration was significantly higher for ZUT/SC than for Kerr sealer/VC (p < 0.05). KT-308/SC did not differ significantly from any other material. The positive controls showed significantly faster penetration than all the other groups (p < 0.05). It was concluded that KT-308 effectively prevented penetration of E. faecalis, whereas ZUT required further development.