Siqueira Jr, Rocas. 2021
Present status and future directions: Microbiology of endodontic infections
- apical periodontitis is microbial aetiology
- bacteria most prevalent and dominant microorganisms in endo infection
- bacterial infection of root canal system only occurs when pulp is necrotic or was removed for previous treatment
- intracanal bacteria are usually observed as biofilms (sessile multispecies communities) attached to the root canal walls
- infection in main root canal can spread to other areas of the root canal system
- more than 500 bacterial species have been detected in endo infections, select 20-30 are most frequently detected and are the core microbiome
- obligate anaerobic species are more abundant in the intraradicular bacterial communities of teeth with primary apical periodontitis
- both anaerobes and facultatives dominate communities in post-treatment apical periodontitis
- bacterial interactions play an essential role in determining overall virulence of community, which is the unit of pathogenicity of apical periodontitis