An ex vivo study to evaluate the remineralizing and antimicrobial efficacy of silver diamine fluoride and glass ionomer cement type VII for their proposed use as indirect pulp capping materials – Part I

AIM: Indirect pulp capping (IPC) preserves the pulp vitality by disinfecting and remineralizing remaining carious dentin. In the present study, glass ionomer (GC, FUJI VII) and silver diamine fluoride (SDF) were tested and compared to calcium hydroxide for their antimicrobial efficacy and remineralizing potential. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dentin disks prepared from 45 freshly extracted first premolars were divided into three groups (n = 15). Each disk was cut into two equal parts, in which one half formed the control. Thirty dentin samples were used for ion estimation and the other 15 for microhardness testing. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry, colorimetric and potentiometric titration analyses were performed for calcium, phosphate and fluoride ion detection, respectively. The antimicrobial efficacy was analyzed using pure culture of Streptococcus mutans and mixed flora. RESULTS: Increase in the levels of calcium and phosphate ions was the highest in calcium hydroxide group. Both SDF and GC VII groups showed significant increase in fluoride ion levels. Samples treated with GC VII showed maximum increase in micro hardness. The highest zone of bacterial inhibition was found with SDF group. CONCLUSIONS: This in vitro study documented the remineralizing, re-hardening and antimicrobial efficacy of both SDF and GC VII and hence can act as effective IPC materials.