Antimicrobial effectiveness of gaseous ozone in the treatment of dental caries

Introduction. According to many domestic and foreign researchers, the generally accepted antibiotic preparation of carious cavities does not guarantee bacterial “cleanliness” of the operating field. The main reasons for the ineffective treatment of caries are a decrease in the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents of a wide spectrum, the imperfection of methods for caries treatment, as a result of which open, drained foci of infection become closed, with the creation of the effect of a “thermostat”. In addition, the identity of the flora of carious cavities, dentin of root canals and foci of acute odontogenic infection has now been proven.

Material and methods. 50 patients with various nosological forms of caries were examined and sanitized. In addition, in this contingent, there was carried out a microbiological study of the dentin caries cavities before preparation, after standard antiseptic treatment and subsequent treatment with gaseous ozone with the Prozone apparatus.

Results. The data obtained during the study confirm gaseous ozone to have a pronounced bactericidal effect in relation to most species of microflora found. Anaerobic microorganisms possess the greatest resistance, however, with further sowing and isolation of a pure culture, their growth was not detected, which indicates their extremely low virulence. The evaluation criterion was the growth of microorganisms in the 2nd sector according to Goild, since in this state these microorganisms are still capable of vegetating, and serve as the etiological factor of unsatisfactory treatment which manifests itself in the form of microbial demineralization of the enamel-composite compound.