Location of Streptococcus mutans in the Dentinal Tubules of Open Infected Root Canals

Abstract

Examination by an immunofluorescent antibody technique has demonstrated that Streptococcus mutans gains entrance into the dentinal tubules of open root canals. It was observed that the distance of invasion from the canal walls ranged from an average of 493-524 μm to a maximum of 1050-1150 μm, depending on the subspecies of S. mutans. However, unidentified germs stained by Gram's method invaded further than S. mutans.