RESUMO
AIM: this study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of 6 root canal filling materials and a negative control agent against 18 strains of bacteria isolated from infected root canals of primary molar teeth using agar diffusion assay. MATERIALS: Aloevera with sterile water Zinc oxide and Eugenol, Zinc oxide-Eugenol with aloevera, Calcium hydroxide and sterile water, Calcium hydroxide with sterile water and aloevera, Calcium hydroxide and Iodoform (Metapex) and Vaseline (Control). MIC and MBC of aloevera was calculated. RESULTS: All materials except Vaseline showed varied antimicrobial activity against the test bacterias. The zones of inhibition were ranked into 4 inhibition categories based on the proportional distribution of the data. All the 18 bacterial isolates were classified under 2 groups based on Gram positive and Gram negative aerobes. Statistical analysis was carried out to compare the antimicrobial effectiveness between materials tested with each of the bacterial groupings. CONCLUSION: Aloevera + Sterile Water was found to have superior antimicrobial activity against most of the microorganisms followed by ZOE + Aloevera, calcium hydroxide + Aloevera, ZOE, calcium hydroxide, Metapex in the descending order and Vaseline showed no inhibition.