Antibacterial and remineralizing dual-effect fillers for dental composite resins

Zr-doped mesoporous silica (Zr-MSS) for improved mechanical stability and biocompatibility of dental composite resins.

BackgroundPrevention and treatment services use is closely associated with socioeconomic factors, such as income. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between implementing the sealant program and resin fillings restoration and to explore the role of income and frequency of dental visits in this relationship.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study used the cohort database from the National Health Information Database of the National Health Insurance Service. The study population comprised 494,731 children born in 2007. A logistic regression model for the experience of resin fillings and a linear regression model for weighted utilization of them were used to identify the independent effects of dental sealants, income, and frequency of dental visits. All analyses were conducted using the SAS Enterprise Guide version 7.1 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA).ResultsThe ratio based on income level was almost proportional in all groups except the medical aid group, which had a rate as high as that of the wealthier group. Children without sealants were 1.05 times more likely to have resin fillings than others after adjusting for income level and frequency of visiting dental clinics in the final model. However, an opposite relationship between sealant experiences and resin fillings was observed in the previous model without dental visits. The gap in the weighted resin filling scores according to socioeconomic variables showed a similar tendency.ConclusionsIncome and frequency of dental visits might be confounding factors for the relationship between dental sealant and resin fillings. It is necessary to consider the complex relationship between socioeconomic indicators and service use while studying oral health inequality.

Objective: This study compared the color stability of different dental composite resins after prolonged exposure to a coffee solution. Methods: Sixty-four cylindrical discs (10 mm diameter x 2 mm thickness) were prepared using 8 different dental composite resins (n=8, per group). The specimens were first immersed in artificial saliva for 24 h followed by immersion in a coffee solution for 14 days. The assessment of chromatic variation (ΔE) was performed with the aid of a Vita Easyshade Advanced spectrophotometer (VITA Zahnfabrik, Bad Sackingen, Germany). The color of each specimen was calculated based on the L*, a* and b* coordinates of the CIELab system. Results: Grandio SO had the lowest average chromatic variation (ΔE=7.77) after immersion in coffee solution. Durafill VS, Grandio and Z350 XT (ΔE=8.58; ΔE=9.52; ΔE=10.39, respectively) showed similar chromatic variation, with no statistical difference in relation to Grandio SO. However, the other dental composite resins evaluated showed statistically higher values of ΔE compared to Grandio SO, and Enamel HRi (ΔE=20.56) demonstrated the highest chromatic variation. Conclusion: The Bulk Fill and hybrid composite resins from the same manufacturer (Micerium, Avegno, Italy) showed greater chromatic variation than the other composite resins tested. Grandio SO (Voco, Cuxaven, Germany) had the lowest ΔE variation.

Dental resin restorations often fail due to microcrack expansion, causing fractures and secondary caries. Self-healing resin composites based on Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) offer a solution. In these composites, moisture and air activate bacteria to precipitate calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and repair microcracks. When a crack seals, bacteria become dormant or form spores until the next crack forms, triggering repeated self-healing. This study involved the optimization of nutrients to enhance biocompatibility, the preparation of dental resin composites incorporating eight different bacterial strains, the investigation of Mn2+ to enhance self-healing properties, and the utilization of a method to evaluate self-healing efficiency tailored for the oral environment. This method took a microscopic view of the healing process in artificial saliva, and the self-healing efficiency was determined by quantifying the scratch area. In the final results, Bacillus sphaericus (ATCC 4525) cultured with Mn2+ exhibited the most impressive self-healing effect, while Bacillus pasteurii (B80469) had the weakest self-healing effect in the study. Otherwise, Bifidobacterium longum showed no significant difference between its initial and secondary healing effects. This dental self-healing resin composite can undergo multiple rounds of self-repair and boasts high biocompatibility, leading to a significant reduction in the failure rate of dental resin restorations.

Inorganic fillers in seven visible-light (VL)-cured dental composite resins were examined for their size, composition, phase and content, employing the following analytical instruments. SEM observations indicated that five samples could be classified into the hybrid type while the remaining two belonged to micro-filled and sub-micron types. EDX analyses revealed that five samples contained BaO while others lacked BaO. XRD analyses showed that three were in vitreous phase, two were in the crystalline phase and two were mixtures of both. DTG thermal analyses indicated that the hybrid type composites had the higher inorganic filler content (wt%) than the composites of two other types. In conclusion, wide varieties exist in the inorganic fillers in VL-cured dental composite resins currently utilized.

Dental restorative resin composites are widely used to repair tooth decay owing to attractive esthetics, adequate mechanical properties and minimally invasive tooth structure preparations. Nevertheless, dental restorative resin composites still face challenges because of their relatively high failure rate and short lifespan caused by secondary caries and bulk fracture. Thus, attempts have been carried out to explore a new generation of dental restorative resin composites with antibacterial, remineralizing, and self-healing capabilities to inhibit bacteria and lengthen the lifetime of the restorations. Such novel restorative composites can inhibit bacterial activity, reduce acid production, promote mineral regeneration and present a renewable advantage to achieve a higher performance, which are inspiring and provide support for further basic and clinical research. In this review, antibacterial dental restorative resin composites are first introduced, followed by remineralizing, self-healing, and multifunctional dental resin composites with two or more of the functions mentioned above. Meanwhile, we explain the mechanism of the corresponding dental restorative resin composites and describe their characteristics. Finally, we conclude and put forward prospects. This review will attract both researchers and clinicians in this field and help to provide innovative ideas to design new restorative resin composites for biomedical applications.Graphical abstract

The Extreme mechanical properties shown by limpet radula can be used as a biofiller to improve the mechanical properties of composite resin. The aim of the research is to develop and analyze the mechanical properties of a silanized limpet radula as a biofiller in an experimental composite resin. The objective is to compare the compressive, tensile and flexural strength of the experimental composite resin with biofiller and the Universal Hybrid Composite resin. Littoraria scabra species have been selected and the tongue-like radula was extracted from the buccal mass under an optical microscope. Based on previous research, an experimental dental composite resin with 2.5% radula as silanized biofiller was created, and SEM analysis was performed to confirm the filler morphology. The samples were prepared in accordance with ISO 4049, and 15 samples from each group were randomly subdivided into three subgroups to assess compressive, tensile, and flexural strength. The Shapiro-Wilk and independent t-tests were used for statistical analysis. The experimental composite resin with the bio-filler had relatively high compressive, tensile, and flexural strength when compared to universal hybrid composite resin. Within the scope of the study, it is feasible to conclude that the addition of 2.5% silanized limpet radula as a biofiller in the experimental composite resin improves mechanical properties over the Universal Hybrid Composite.

Mechanical property and antibacterial activity of silver-loaded polycation functionalized nanodiamonds for use in resin-based dental material formulations

The ongoing limitations in antibacterial performance, biocompatibility, and environmental sustainability of traditional dental composite resin fillers have caused urgent issues such as secondary caries and marginal microleakage that require immediate attention. The emergence of natural fillers as sustainable options is significant due to their unique bioactive properties and environmental friendliness.This review systematically retrieved and analysed relevant literature published between 2015 and June 2025, focusing on the application mechanisms, performance characteristics, and clinical translation potential of natural silica and plant-derived fillers in dental composite resins.Natural silica derived from agricultural waste, such as rice husks, not only enables high-value utilisation of biomass resources but also improves the mechanical properties of composite resins. Plant-based fillers, like miswak, offer multiple functions, including antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, due to their rich bioactive components. However, challenges such as the release behaviour of bioactive components over time, interface bonding stability, and batch consistency remain obstacles to clinical use.While natural fillers show great promise in dental composite resins, further research is clearly necessary. The potential of surface modification techniques, optimisation of composite formulations, and standardised preparation methods is substantial, and detailed studies can help ensure successful translation from the laboratory to clinical practice.

The use of dental composite resins has significantly increased over recent years, thanks to their esthetics and mechanical features, despite some doubts being raised about their biocompatibility. Residual methacrylate can be eluted from bulk composites, and its amount may significantly increase over time, leading to cytotoxic effects that can involve several inflammatory patterns. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the activation of the inflammatory pathway NFκB p65/MyD88/NALP3 and the apoptosis pathway of BCL-2/BAX/Caspase-3 (CASP-3) expression on human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs) after 24 h and 1-week exposure to the eluates of three heat-cured dental composite resins: GrandioSO, VOCO (GR); Enamel Plus HRi Biofunction, Micerium (BF); and Filtek universal restorative, 3M (FU). The results highlighted that NFκB p65/MyD88/NALP3 was activated after resin exposure in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, immunofluorescence and gene expression analyses showed that pro-apoptotic markers CASP-3 and BAX were elevated, while anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2 was suppressed in hGFs after dental resin exposure. The present in vitro study analyzed mechanisms related to cytotoxicity and apoptosis, suggesting ways to limit composite cytotoxicity through advancements in material technology. The activation of inflammation and apoptotic pathways appeared to be material-dependent, and was less pronounced with BF and FU, which could hypothetically indicate them being a safer clinical choice to preserve periodontal health in daily dental practice.

Objectives To assess the antibacterial efficacy of experimental dental composite resin with cerium oxide nanoparticles as fillers. Methods The cerium oxide nanoparticles were prepared by the coprecipitation procedure. Synthesized 3wt% CeO2 nanoparticles were added to the composite resin as antibacterial filler. Experimental composite resin was manually prepared by adding ingredients. The resin matrix consisted of two mixed monomers, bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, diketone as the photo initiator, and N, N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate as a coinitiator. The antibacterial efficacy against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus aureus, and Lactobacillus spp. bacterial strains was tested using the microdilution method keeping commercially available 3M Filtek Z250 restorative composite as control. Results The experimental dental composite demonstrated 99.503% efficacy against Streptococcus mutans, 99.441% efficacy against Streptococcus mitis, 99.416% efficacy against Streptococcus aureus, and 99.233% efficacy against Lactobacillus spp. Conclusion Integrating cerium oxide nanoparticles as fillers into dental composite resin can be promising in terms of antibacterial activity, provided furthermore study has to be conducted to examine other properties. Clinical Significance. Previous studies attempted adding CeO2 nanoparticles into acrylic resins that showed improvement in mechanical properties, but literature is nil on the dental composite resin and cerium oxide nanoparticles. This study demonstrates the development of an experimental antibacterial dental composite resin that can resolve most of the problems related to secondary caries around dental composite restorations.

One of the major and important challenges in dental composite resin and restoration is the mechanical performance and property of materials. Nanotechnology can produce nanoscale materials that are used in dentistry to help stabilize and strengthen the dentistry. In this work, we study the synthesis and characterization of PLA/Al2O3 nanoscaffold in different conditions such as concentration, temperature, pH, microwave power and irradiation time. PLA/Al2O3 nanoscaffolds were prepared by a micelle-assisted hydrothermal method. Durability, stability and biodegradable nature of nanopolymers have created the much-applied potential for using this structures in many fields such as dental resin composites. Products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transition electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transformed infrared spectrum (FT-IR), Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The synthesis factors were designed by Taguchi technique to control the process systematically. It was found that the intermolecular crosslinks between PLA and Al2O3 nanoparticles cause significant improves in the mechanical properties of PLA/Al2O3 nanoscaffold as dental nanocomposites. The flexural strength (88.0 MPa), modulus (7.5 GPa) and compressive strength (157.2 MPa) were calculated for PLA/Al2O3 nanoscaffolds loaded in Heliomolar Flow composite resins at 80 ppm (wt) concentration.

Dental resin composites (DRCs) are commonly used to restore teeth affected by dental caries or defects. These materials must possess excellent properties to withstand the complex oral environment. The objective of this study was to prepare and characterize Boron nitride nanosheets (BNN)/ dimethyl amino hexadecyl methacrylate (DMAHDM) composites (BNN/DMA), and to evaluate them as functional fillers to enhance the mechanical and antimicrobial properties of dental resins. The BNN/DMA composites were successfully prepared under the theoretical guidance of molecular dynamics (MD), and then the physicochemical and morphological characterization of the BNN/DMA composites were carried out by using various test methods, such as FT-IR, XRD, UV-vis spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, and AFM. It was doped into the dental flowable resin in a certain proportion, and the results showed that the flexural strength (FS), elastic modulus (EM), compressive strength (CS), and microhardness (MH) of the modified resin composites were increased by 53.29, 47.8, 97.59, and 37.1%, respectively, with the addition of 0.8 wt % of BNN/DMA composite fillers. It has a good inhibition effect on Streptococcus mutans, with an inhibition rate as high as 90.43%. Furthermore, this effect persists even after one month of aging. In conclusion, the modification of flowable resins with low-concentration BNN/DMA composites favorably integrates the mechanical properties and long-term antimicrobial activity of dental resins. At the same time, they have good biocompatibility and do not affect the aesthetics. The BNN/DMA composite modified flowable resin has the potential to become a new type of antimicrobial dental restorative material.

Composite resin is one of dental material restoration that used in every dental office nowadays. Dental amalgam restoration had several problems in aesthetic and biocompatibility in oral cavity. To overcome the problem, dental composite resin which has great aesthetic, biocompatibility, physical, and mechanical properties has been developed. Composite resins are filled resin and have high compressive strength, abrasion resistance, ease of application, and high translucency. The objective of this review article is to review about dental composite resin including the composition, polymerization process, classification, and physical properties (water sorption, solubility, and polymerization shrinkage) of dental composite resin. Literature relating to dental composite resin and measurement of several physical properties, research methodologies, and contributing factors are selected and reviewed.

Bis-GMA/TTEGDMA-based resin composites were prepared with two different types of nanoclays: an organically modified laminar clay (Cloisite® 30B, montmorillonite, MMT) and a microfibrous clay (palygorskite, PLG). Their physicochemical and mechanical properties were then determined. Both MMT and PLG nanoclays were added into monomer mixture (1:1 ratio) at different loading levels (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 wt.%), and the resulting composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and mechanical testing (bending and compressive properties). Thermal properties, depth of cure and water absorption were not greatly affected by the type of nanoclay, while the mechanical properties of dental resin composites depended on both the variety and concentration of nanoclay. In this regard, composites containing MMT displayed higher mechanical strength (both flexural and compression) than those resins prepared with PLG due to a poor nanoclay dispersion as revealed by SEM. Solubility of the composites was dependent not only on nanoclay-type but also the mineral concentration. Dental composites fulfilled the minimum depth cure and solubility criteria set by the ISO 4049 standard. In contrast, the minimum bending strength (50 MPa) established by the international standard was only satisfied by the dental resins containing MMT. Based on these results, composites containing either MMT or PLG (at low filler contents) are potentially suitable for use in dental restorative resins, although those prepared with MMT displayed better results.