Effect of Nisin on Root Dentine Microhardness - An Invitro Study

Successful treatment of apical periodontitis depends on elimination of the infective microflora from the necrotic root canal system and favors the healing of the periapex. Although chemo mechanical preparation of root canal is able to reduce the number of bacteria, an intracanal medicament with antibacterial action is required to maximize the disinfection of the root canal system in infected cases. The need for intracanal medication increases, especially in those cases where the infection is resistant to regular treatment and the therapy cannot be successfully completed due to the presence of pain or continuing exudates. Nisin, a naturally occurring antimicrobial peptide (discovered in 1928) is found to be effective against the E. faecalis. Nisin is produced by Lactococcus lactis and which is a class I bacteriocin. It is used as food preservative and found to be safe in human beings. It has been reported that the use of intracanal medicament are capable of causing alterations in the chemical composition of dentin. Micro-hardness determination helps to provide an indirect evidence of losing or gaining any mineral substance in the dental hard tissues. Hence this study is aimed at the evaluation of effect of nisin on root dentine microhardness.