Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud

The aim of the present study was to formulate dental adhesives with di erent concentrations of LiNbO3 and to evaluate their physicochemical and antibacterial properties. A dental adhesive was formulated using methacrylate monomers and photoinitiators and used as a control filler-free group. Subsequently, three experimental adhesives doped with LiNbO3 at di erent concentrations (1 wt.%, 2 wt.%, and 5 wt.%) were also formulated. All the experimental adhesives were assessed to evaluate the degree of conversion (DC), softening in solvent, immediate and long-term microtensile bond-strength ( -TBS), radiopacity, ultimate tensile strength, and antibacterial activity. The incorporation of 1 wt.% of LiNbO3 had no negative e ect on the DC of the adhesive resin compared to the control group (p > 0.05). We observed a decrease in the percentage of softening in solvent in the group LiNbO3 at 1 wt.% (p < 0.05). The addition of LiNbO3 increased the radiopacity at a concentration above 2 wt.%, and there was also an increase in cohesive strength (p < 0.05). The immediate -TBS increased for LiNbO3 at 5 wt.% (p < 0.05), and there was no statistical di erence for the other groups compared to the control (p > 0.05). After six months, the group with 5 wt.% still presented the highest -TBS (p < 0.05). The adhesives showed no antimicrobial activity (p > 0.05). LiNbO3 was successfully incorporated in dental adhesives, increasing the radiopacity and their resistance to degradation. Although LiNbO3 o ered no antibacterial properties, the reliability of LiNbO3 incorporation in the adhesive encourages new tests to better investigate the antimicrobial action of LiNbO3 through temperature variation.

Quaternary ammonium compounds and calcium phosphates have been incorporated into dental materials to enhance their biointeractivity and preventive e ects. This study aimed at evaluating the physical and chemical properties and e ects against Streptococcus mutans of a dental sealant containing 1,3,5-tri acryloyl hexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (TAT) and -tricalcium phosphate ( -TCP). A methacrylate-based dental sealant was initially formulated. -TCP and TAT (G -TCPTAT) were added to the experimental sealant at 2 wt.% each. One group was formulated without -TCP and TAT and used as control (GCTRL). All tested resins were analyzed for polymerization kinetics and degree of conversion (DC %), Knoop hardness (KHN), softening in solvent (DKHN%), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), the contact angle with water or with -bromonaphthalene, surface free energy (SFE) and antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans in biofilm and in planktonic cells. The polymerization kinetic was di erent between groups, but without statistical di erences in the DC % (p < 0.05). KHN and DKHN% did not change between groups (p > 0.05), but G -TCPTAT presented greater UTS compared to GCTRL (p < 0.05). No di erences were found for contact angle (p > 0.05) or SFE (p > 0.05). G -TCPTAT showed greater antibacterial activity in comparison to GCTRL (p < 0.05). The formulation of dental sealants containing TAT and -TCP can be characterized by improved mechanical and antibacterial properties.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the residual presence of eugenol in coronal dentin may compromise the bond strength of resin-based restorative materials. A search was performed on MEDLINE/Pubmed, Scopus, and by hand search for relevant papers. No restriction was applied for language and publication date. The studies selected for analysis tested specimens with reduced size (micro-shear bond strength ( SBS) and micro-tensile bond strength ( TBS)) of adhesive systems and resin-based restorative materials applied to coronary dentin “contaminated” with eugenol-based materials. The search provided 335 articles, but only 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled global analysis showed a significant influence of eugenol, as it negatively influenced the bond strength of resin-based restorations (5.79 (3.31–8.28) MPa, p < 0.00001). The subgroup analyses for conventional etch-and-rinse (p = 0.003) and self-etch (p < 0.0004) adhesive systems, as well as for SBS (p = 0.01) and TBS (p < 0.0001), showed a negative influence of eugenol on the bond strength. Data were statistically heterogeneous. However, it was possible to observe that eugenol could negatively a ect the bonding of resin-based restorative materials to dentin. Further evidence is necessary in order to acquire more accurate information about this issue and confirm that the residual presence of eugenol in dentin compromises the bond strength of resin-based materials.

This study is aimed at evaluating the effects of triclosan-encapsulated halloysite nanotubes (HNT/TCN) on the physicochemical and microbiological properties of an experimental dental composite. A resin composite doped with HNT/TCN (8% w/w), a control resin composite without nanotubes (HNT/TCN-0%) and a commercial nanofilled resin (CN) were assessed for degree of conversion (DC), flexural strength (FS), flexural modulus (FM), polymerization stress (PS), dynamic thermomechanical (DMA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The antibacterial properties (M) were also evaluated using a 5-day biofilm assay (CFU/mL). Data was submitted to one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests. There was no significant statistical difference in DC, FM and RU between the tested composites (p > 0.05). The FS and CN values attained with the HNT/TCN composite were higher (p < 0.05) than those obtained with the HNT/TCN-0%. The DMA analysis showed significant differences in the TAN (p = 0.006) and Tg (p = 0) between the groups. TGA curves showed significant differences between the groups in terms of degradation (p = 0.046) and weight loss (p = 0.317). The addition of HNT/TCN induced higher PS, although no significant antimicrobial effect was observed (p = 0.977) between the groups for CFUs and (p = 0.557) dry weight. The incorporation of HNT/TCN showed improvements in physicochemical and mechanical properties of resin composites. Such material may represent an alternative choice for therapeutic restorative treatments, although no significance was found in terms of antibacterial properties. However, it is possible that current antibacterial tests, as the one used in this laboratory study, may not be totally appropriate for the evaluation of resin composites, unless accompanied with aging protocols (e.g., thermocycling and load cycling) that allow the release of therapeutic agents incorporated in such materials.