Antimicrobial evaluation of polytetrafluoroethylene used as part of temporary restorations: An ex vivo study.

The use of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tape as the base layer of temporary restorations had gained popularity mainly due to the ease of manipulation. The aim of this study was to assess whether this method changes the potential for bacterial growth and leakage of temporary restorations. The direct contact test and live/dead fluorescent staining were used for comparing Enterococcus faecalis growth and biofilm formation on PTFE, composite, intermediate restorative material (IRM) and Coltosol F. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was employed to evaluate E. faecalis penetration through 2 mm of PTFE, IRM or Coltosol F placed on the bottom of the pulp chamber and into radicular dentinal tubules in extracted maxillary third molars. The results demonstrated that E. faecalis grows on and penetrates through PTFE significantly more than it does with IRM and Coltosol F, revealing its comparably reduced overall antimicrobial sealing ability when placed as the base part of temporary restorations.