Date of Award

2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Dentistry

College

College of Dental Medicine

First Advisor

Michael G. Schmidt

Second Advisor

Timothy R. Rohde

Third Advisor

Theodore D. Ravenel

Abstract

Introduction: The introduction of metallic nanoparticles such as copper into medical materials has shown promising results in terms of antimicrobial activity. A novel material incorporating nanoparticles could be useful in combating bacterial biofilms and improving long-term success rates in endodontic therapies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effect of mineral trioxide aggregate disks augmented with copper iodide nanoparticles on a biofilm of E. faecalis and compare the results with non-augmented control MTA in the same conditions using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Methods: Fabricated disks were made up of control, non-augmented MTA or copper iodide nanoparticle-augmented MTA containing the following copper iodide concentrations: 1 mg, 3 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg. The disks were segregated by concentration of copper iodide into five groups, placed into five test tubes containing an inoculum of E. faecalis, and the bacteria were allowed to grow for 24 hours. After removal from the inoculum tubes, the disks were individually stained using LIVE/DEAD BacLight Bacterial Viability Kit (ThermoFisher) with the fluorescence of the stained bacteria associated with the disks observed using confocal laser scanning microscope. Three scans of each disk were taken with the mean relative fluorescence units (RFU) recorded. Results: There was a significant decrease to the number of live E. faecalis attached to each of the copper iodide infused MTA disks (p < .01) compared against the control MTA disks as calculated from the reduction to the RFU measured using scanning confocal laser microscopy (Zeiss). The mean RFU observed for the control, 1 mg, 3 mg, and 5 mg samples was 125.83, 56.88, 34.41, and 13.44 respectively, which corresponded to a 54.8%, 72.7%., 89.3% decrease to the E. faecalis associated with the augmented MTA disks. The 10 mg copper iodide augmented disks were devoid of any attached E. faecalis. Conclusions: The addition of a limited concentration of copper iodide nanoparticles to MTA disks resulted in a significant, concentration dependent reduction of the association of E. faecalis with the disks.

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