Abusing technology? Culture-difficult microbes and microbial remnants

Abstract

The advent of molecular genetic methods has revolutionized life sciences as a whole. It has its share of impact on microbiology in general and on oral and endodontic microbiology in particular. The current knowledge in endodontic microbiology is based on the application of several methods, such as conventional histology, correlative light and electron microscopy, scanning confocal laser microscopy, microbial culturing, and biochemical and molecular techniques. All these methods have different degrees of limitations with respect to sensitivity, specificity, and etiologic relevance.