Comparative evaluation of antibacterial activities of two new root-end filling materials and MTA against Enterococcus faecalis

Antibacterial agents are required for endodontic surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the antibacterial activities of two new root-end filling materials and MTA against Enterococcus faecalis. This in vitro study was carried out using direct contact test (DCT). The materials studied consisted of a calcium aluminate-based cement (CAAC, calcium aluminate α-aluminate cement) and a calcium silicate-based cement which was a mixture of wollastonite, CAAC (WOLCA) and MTA. Each cement was prepared immediately after mixing (not set), 3 days and 1 week after their setting and placed at the bottom of 4 wells from a 96-well plate (group A). Approximately 10 μL of Enterococcus faecalis suspension at 0.5 McFarland concentration and 245 μL of BHI were added to the wells in group A and empty wells in group B. Finally, the growth rate of bacteria in the wells in each group was monitored every 30 minutes for 7 hours and once after 24 hours using the spectrophotometry technique. Data were analyzed with ANOVA for repeated data and with one-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests (p value = 0.05). Tukey tests showed a significant difference between the freshly mixed MTA and the MTA one week after its setting (p value = 0.033). In addition, there were significant differences between MTA one week after its setting and CAAC one week after its setting and between MTA one week after its setting and WOLCA three days after its setting (p value = 0.039 and p value = 0.043, respectively); however, there were no significant differences between the other groups. Due to the similarity of the antibacterial activities of the tested cements and MTA and even higher antibacterial activities of CAAC one week after its setting, and WOLCA three days after its setting compared to MTA one week after its setting, these cements can be considered for further in vitro and clinical studies in future.