OBJECTIVE: To compare the in-vitro antibacterial effectiveness in terms of enterococcus faecalis elimination of conventional
unmodified calcium hydroxide paste with an experimental calcium hydroxide impregnated with 1% silver nanoparticles.
METHODOLOGY: This in vitro study was conducted during the period July 2019 - January 2020 at Materials Research
Laboratory, Centralized Resource Laboratory (University of Peshawar) and Pathology Laboratory (Peshawar Medical College).
Sixty human premolar teeth having single root with mature apices were obtained. These were distributed into two groups
randomly (n=30); experimental group for testing the antibacterial efficacy of calcium hydroxide impregnated with 0.1% by
weight silver nanoparticles and the other was used as a control group for testing the antibacterial efficacy of unmodified calcium
hydroxide. Dentine specimens (size 4 x 4x 1mm) were prepared from the teeth using slow speed cutting saw machine. Smear
layer was removed with EDTA. Specimens were autoclaved to sterilize them. Then each specimen was contaminated with
enterococcus faecalis and incubated anaerobically for 24 hours at 37?C. After the application of medicaments, the zone of
inhibition was measured and number of viable bacteria were determined using SEM. Statistical significance was calculated
using t-test. p<0.05 was taken as significant.
RESULTS: After the application of medicament, the zone of inhibition was greater (9.63mm) in experimental group when
compared to control group (4mm) (p<0.001). Number of viable bacteria before application of medicament were 239 and 208
while after application of medicament reduced to 90 and 54 in control and experimental groups respectively (p<0.001).
CONCLUSION: The addition of silver nanoparticles to calcium hydroxide significantly enhanced its potential to eliminate
biofilm of enterococcus faecalis on dentin specimens.
KEYWORDS: Silver nanoparticles, Calcium hydroxide, Root canal infections, Root canal medicament.
HOW TO CITE: Riaz Z, Raza M, Hanif A, Haider B, Akram S, Safdar S. Antibacterial efficacy of silver nanoparticles
impregnated calcium hydroxide: An in vitro study. J Pak Dent Assoc 2022;31(1):1-4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25301/JPDA.311.1
Received: 05 April 2021, Accepted: 08 September 2021
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