An evaluation of sterilization of endodontic instruments in artificial sponges.

The ability to sterilize endodontic files inserted into synthetic sponges was tested. Sponges were subjected to 5 cycles of either dry heat (Driclave) or steam under pressure (autoclave) sterilization. Sterilization was corroborated by microbiological tests. The sponges and files were pre-sterilized separately using steam under pressure. One hundred eighty files contaminated with Bacillus stearothermophilus spores (experimental and positive control) and 60 noncontaminated files (negative control), were inserted into 60 sponges. After each cycle, each file and a portion of sponge surrounding the file were transferred aseptically to tubes containing trypticase soy broth culture medium for bacteriological analysis. None of the tubes containing files and portions of sponges that were subjected to autoclave grew Bacillus stearothermophilus spores. Two of 60 (3.33%) of the tubes that were subjected to sterilization by Driclave demonstrated bacterial growth. Although the sponges tolerated the dry heat cycles well physically, sterilization was achieved in only 96.67% of the cases.