Glutaraldehyde in bonding systems disinfects dentin in vitro

To study the dentin disinfecting capacity of glutaraldehyde-containing bonding agents.

Uniformly sized bovine dentin blocks infected with Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 were treated according to manufacturer's instructions with a three-step bonding system (Syntac Classic), its single components, or Gluma Primer. Bacterial growth from dentinal filings obtained immediately after application of the bonding agents was assessed at different dentin depths. Minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration of glutaraldehyde against E. faecalis were determined.

Both Gluma Primer and Syntac Adhesive disinfected dentin, while the other components failed to do so. This was explained by the high antibacterial efficacy of glutaraldehyde even at low concentrations. Applied in consecutive order, the Syntac bonding system disinfected dentin blocks equally well with or without previous application of Gluma Primer.

Under the conditions of the current study, bonding agents containing glutaraldehyde appear to be good dentin disinfectants compatible with bonding systems. However, their effect on pulp tissue awaits further clarification.