CONSERVATIVE & ENDODONTICS

Factors Controlling the Bacterial Penetration at tooth Restoration Gaps
1) Size and Nature of Gap
– Size- Range (10-50 μm)
– Nature- Self sealing ability of restorative material (deposition of mineral salts of low solubility in the space, accumulation of corrosion products, calcification of the plaque like debris around the margins and etc.)
2) Host defence
– Sclerosis of Dentinal tubules
– Reparative Dentine
– The hydrostatic pressure of the pulp is higher compared to the outside pressure of the oral cavity. This pressure difference moves the dentinal fluid outwards which opposes the bacteria and their products moving inwards, though only to a negligible extent.
– Some plasma proteins in the dentinal fluid may act as antibacterial substances and large molecular weight proteins like fibrinogen make dentin less permeable to bacteria.
3) Restorations
– GIC, Composites, Compomers etc. release fluorides in gaps