Calcium Enriched Mixture and Mineral Trioxide Aggregate Activities against Enterococcus Faecalis in Presence of Dentin

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the antibacterial activity of Calcium Enriched Mixture (CEM) with ProRoot Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) against Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) in the presence/absence of dentin powder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two series of freshly mixed (10, 50, and 100 mg), set crushed powder (10, 50, and 100 mg), and pieces of uncrushed set (50, 100 mg) of CEM and MTA were prepared (n = 32 groups). All samples were suspended in normal saline for direct exposure test against E. faecalis; in the second series, 50 mg of the dentin powder was also added to the solution. Dentin powder suspension and bacterial suspension served as negative and positive control groups, respectively (n = 2). The suspensions were incubated at room temperature for 1, 60, and 240 min; each group was tested five times and survival of the bacteria in test solutions was assessed by 10-fold serial dilutions and cultured on Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) plates. The plates were incubated at 37ºC. The mean values of log10 CFU were calculated and compared in all tested groups. The total number of tests added up to 510 times. RESULTS: In presence of dentin powder, freshly mixed powder from set materials, and pieces of uncrushed set materials of both tested cements killed > 95% of the bacterial cell in 1 min. Adding dentin powder caused an increase in antibacterial activity of freshly mixed powder from crushed set CEM and MTA but no acceleration in bacterial killing was observed, when dentin was mixed with set or uncrushed cements. Dentin powder alone reduced the number of viable bacteria in the 4-hour duration. There were no significant differences between different weights of freshly mixed, crushed set powder and uncrushed set of CEM cement and MTA at different times. CONCLUSION: Under the conditions of this in vitro study, CEM cement as well as MTA have antibacterial effects against E. faecalis. The addition of equal amounts of dentin powder to the suspension of CEM or MTA resulted in swifter elimination of bacteria.