• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.447-452
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• 1999

The role of bacteria in root canals and periapical infections is well known and established. In these bacteria, black-pigmented bacteria(BPH) play important role in endodontic infection. BPB are Gram negative anaerobic rods which are closely related 50 clinical symptoms such as pain, percussion, tenderness, foul odor, etc. In America and Europe, many studies on BPB have been done and are continued. But, relatively few studies have been done in Korea, especially its prevalence in Korean population is not yet studied. The purpose of this study is to establish prevalence of BPB in infected root canals and periapical abscesses in Korean people. Microbial samples were collected from the root canals of 34 intact tooth with periapical rarefactions of endodontic origin and 3 periapical abscesses. All samples were incubated in an anaerobic chamber(Coy, Model No. 77. Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.). Identification of In microorganism was based on its growth in the anaerobic chamber, colonial pigmentation, colonial morphology, Gram stain, and Rapid ID32A(BioMericux SA/69280 Marcy-l'Etoile/France) results. In addition, the polyme ase chain reaction using specific primers for 16S rRNA genes were used differentiate Prevotella nigrescens for Prevotella intermedia. The results were as follows : 1. In this study, thirteen (35%) of thirty seven samples were positive for the growth of BPB. In thirteen samples, sixteen strains of BPR were found. 2. The most frequently identified BPB in root canals and abscesses in Korean were P. nigrescens 5/37(14%) and P. intermedia 5/37(14%). Porphyromonas gingivalis 3/37(8%), Porphyromonas endodontalis 2/37(5%) and Prevotella loecheii 1/37(3%) were also found. 3. In this study, no significant differences were found between the prevalence of BPB in Korean and that of American and European.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.303-313
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• 2003

It has been documented that periodontopathic bacteria are also implicated in endodontic infections. 168 rDNA gene-directed PCR was to examine the prevalence of periodontopathic bacteria including Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Prevotella intermedia (Pi), Prevotella nigrescens (Pn), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Porphyromonas endodontalis (Pe), and Treponema denticola (Td) in the root canals of 36 endodontically infected teeth having apical lesions with or without clinical symptoms like pain, swelling, and fistula. 1. In 36 infected root canals, most frequently detected bacterial species was Pg (61.1%), followed by Td (52.8%) and Pe (38.9%). 2. Of 36 infected root canals, Aa was detected in 6 canals (16.7%) of the teeth, all of which showed clinical symptoms. 3. Of 36 infected root canals, Pi and Pn were found in 4 03.9%) and 5 (33.3%), respectively. Notably, prevalence of Pn in the symptomatic teeth was 50.0%. 4. One of black-pigmented anaerobic bacteria (BPB) including Pi, Pn, Pe, and Pg was detected in all of the teeth that showed pain or especially swelling but not fistula. It was, however, found that prevalence of BPB in the asymptomatic teeth or the teeth with fistula was only 40%. 5. Pe and Pg were detected in the teeth regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. 6. Td was detected in the teeth regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. High prevalence of BPB in the symptomatic teeth but low in the asymptomatic teeth suggests that BPB may play an important role in the pathogenesis of periapical lesions.