Effect of low concentrations of antibiotic intracanal medicaments on crown discoloration and push-out bond strength

Abstract

Introduction: Some intracanal medicaments used in regenerative endodontics may compromise the bond strength of root cements and lead to tooth discoloration. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of 1) low concentrations of TAP and DAP (1 mg/mL) on push-out bond strength of various root cements, and 2) low concentrations of TAP and DAP (1 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL) on crown discoloration. Materials and Methods: Single rooted human teeth (n = 144) were horizontally decoronated and instrumented according to standardized protocol. The samples were randomized into six experimental groups (Ca(OH)2, 1000 mg/mL TAP and DAP, 1 mg/mL TAP and DAP, and no medicament control group. After four weeks, the medicaments were removed and each group was divided into three subgroups to receive MTA cement, Biodentine cement, or Endosequence Bioceramic putty cement for two weeks. Then, two root cylinders were obtained from each root and push-out bond strength testing was performed. For the crown discoloration experiment, 160 crowns were obtained from intact human molars and randomized into experimental groups as described earlier with the addition of two groups (10 mg/mL TAP and DAP). The pulp chambers in half of the samples from each group were coated with an adhesive bonding agent before receiving the assigned intracanal medicament. Color changes (ΔE) were detected by spectrophotometer at 1 day, 1 week, and 4 weeks after application, as well as after thermocycling. Results: In the push-out bond strength experiment, 1 mg/mL DAP generally demonstrated significantly higher bond strength of root cements compared with the other treatment groups. For the crown discoloration experiment, when an adhesive bonding agent was used prior to (10 mg/mL or 1000 mg/mL) TAP, the crowns had significantly less discoloration than those without adhesive. DAP 10 mg/mL had the least significant color change at all time points regardless of whether adhesive was used. Conclusion: 1) 1 mg/mL DAP and Ca(OH)2 did not have significant negative effect on the bond strength of calcium-silicate-based cement to radicular dentin. 2) 1 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL of DAP and Ca(OH)2 had significantly less effect on the color change of the human tooth crown than all intracanal medicaments used in this study.