Action of photodynamic therapy mediated by fotoenticine® on oral microcosm biofilms

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been studied as a possible adjunct to treat dental caries. However, most of these studies were carried out with phenothiazine photosensitizers applied to monospecies biofilms. Then, the objective of this study will be to evaluate the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy mediated by a new photosensitizer, Fotoenticine® (FTC), in the treatment of oral microcosm biofilms. Also, the antimicrobial effects of Fotoenticine® will be compared with the Methylene Blue (MB), a phenothiazine photosensitizer already approved for clinical use in Brazil. To perform this study, samples of dentin caries will be collected from patients and used to form microcosm biofilms on dentin bovine dentin specimens. Biofilms will be treated with Fotoenticine® at a concentration of 0.6 (mg/mL) or Methylene Blue (1 mg/mL) associated with LED with 660 nm wavelength at the dose of the energy of 30 J/cm² for 714 and a power dose of 42.8 mW/cm². According to the treatment model, the following experimental groups will be performed: application of LED alone (F-L +); FTC and irradiation (FTC + L +); application of FTC alone (FTC + L-); Methylene Blue and irradiation (MB + L +); application of methylene blue alone (MB + L-); and Control group not treated (F-L-). The effects of treatments on biofilms will be analyzed by counting viable cells of microorganisms totals, streptococci, mutans streptococci, lactobacilli, and yeasts. After that, biofilms will also be evaluated for lactic acid production. The data obtained will be analyzed to select the most appropriate statistical test for each experiment, considering a significance level of 5%.