Antimicrobial efficacy of Bio-C Temp versus calcium hydroxide as an intracanal medicament: a systematic review of laboratory studies

This systematic review aims to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the bioceramic intracanal medicament Bio-C Temp compared to calcium hydroxide-based pastes against endodontic pathogens. Endodontic success relies on the reduction of microbial load, and while calcium hydroxide is the standard intracanal medication, its limitations against resistant pathogens like Enterococcus faecalis have driven the search for alternatives such as calcium silicate-based materials. The review follows the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Systematic searches will be conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and ProQuest databases without language or publication date restrictions. The study will include laboratory investigations (in vitro and ex vivo) using human or bovine teeth, dentin discs, or artificial models contaminated with endodontic microorganisms or multispecies biofilms. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for In Vitro Studies (QUIN), and data will be synthesized qualitatively. Expected outcomes include quantitative measures of antimicrobial efficacy, such as colony-forming unit (CFU) counts, zones of inhibition (agar diffusion tests), percentage of dead cells (viability staining), and biofilm biomass reduction. The review anticipates determining whether the bioceramic formulation offers comparable or superior disinfection capabilities to the gold standard across different evaluation periods