Microbial Sampling of Carious Dentin

The School of Dentistry is seeking to determine whether viable microorganisms remain within tooth structure after conventional, mechanical removal of areas of tooth decay, prior to placement or replacement of tooth restorations (fillings). The long-term goal of the work is to decrease the failure rate, and therefore increase the longevity, of tooth restorations (fillings) in human patients and populations.

Study Overview

• Status: Withdrawn
• Conditions: Caries,Dental
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Biological Sample of Carious Dentin

Detailed Description

It is proposed that with informed consent, and in a sterile operating environment (controlled, micron level-filtered environmental air flow, in addition to conventional instrument sterilization) dental patient volunteers will have either areas of decayed tooth structure or recurrent caries defective fillings removed using conventional, routine procedures, which will include: local anesthesia; tooth isolation using rubber dam; removal of superficial decay, weakened tooth structure or defective filling materials with rotary tooth cutting instruments; and then removal of softened dentin using sterile sharp spoon excavators, by hand. The limit of dentin removal will be determined by the clinician's estimate of tooth hardness, that is, using present conventional and ethical practice. This last step, removal of tissue guided by estimated hardness, is as described above the universally accepted standard.

Following removal, the exposed dentin surface will be examined visually with an 15X operating microscope to detect any areas of discolored dentin. Any such areas will be micro-sampled using ultra slow-speed, 0.2 mm diameter rotary cutting instruments and removal of resultant dentin flakes with sterile fibers. Each prepared cavity will then be restored using conventional tooth filling materials and techniques.

Immediately after removal each dentin flake will be weighed, placed into bacterial transport medium, then sonicated. The transport medium will be divided in two, and separate samples added to bacterial growth medium under anaerobic and aerobic growth conditions. Any viable microorganisms detected will be identified both by conventional plating techniques using visual identification, and by a commercial laboratory using RNA analysis.

• Study Type: Observational

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Utah
    • Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84108
      • University of Utah School of Dentistry

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 99 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The School of Dentistry will seek dental patient volunteers to participate in the study if patient meets all inclusion and exclusion criteria and is in need of a Class II filling placement. Flyers will be placed in the reception area of the School of Dentistry clinic. Student dentists will also inform study staff if he/she has a patient who meets the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. Study staff will approach the patient to seek informed consent.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged 18-99, Male or Female, No significant systemic illness

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diabetic, Hypertensive, Pregnant

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Detection of viable microorganisms	Should viable microorganisms be detected within tooth structure after conventional, mechanical removal of decayed areas, future studies into the potential effectiveness of various topical antibacterial agents may well follow.	1 year from study start date

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Utah
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Wyatt R. Hume, DDS, PhD, University of Utah School of Dentistry

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 8, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 11, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): May 11, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 3, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 3, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): July 8, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 10, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 8, 2023
• Last Verified: May 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Stomatognathic Diseases; Tooth Demineralization; Tooth Diseases; Dental Caries
• Other Study ID Numbers: 00121555

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No