Abstract
Orthodontic adhesives with antimicrobial and remineralizing properties may be an alternative to control white spot lesions around brackets. The aim of this study is to develop an experimental orthodontic adhesive containing boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) and alkyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (ATAB). Methacrylate (BisGMA and TEGDMA) monomers were used to formulate the adhesives. Four experimental groups were produced with the addition of 0.1 wt.% BNNT (GBNNT); 0.1 wt.% ATAB (GATAB); and 0.2 wt.% BNNT with ATAB (GBNNT/ATAB); in the control group, no fillers were added (GCtrl). The degree of conversion, cytotoxicity, softening in solvent, contact angle and free surface energy, antibacterial activity, shear bond strength, and mineral deposition were evaluated. Adhesives achieved degree of conversion higher than 50% and cell viability higher than 90%. GBNNT and GATAB adhesives exhibited reduced softening in solvent. Mean free surface energy was decreased in the GBNNT adhesive. Significant reduction in bacterial growth was observed in the GBNNT/ATAB. No statistical difference was found for shear bond strength. Mineral deposition was found in GBNNT, GATAB, and GBNNT/ATAB groups after 14 and 28 days. The addition of 0.2% BNNT/ATAB to an experimental orthodontic adhesive inhibited bacterial growth and induced mineral deposition without affecting the properties of the material.
Highlights
Fixed orthodontic appliances act as biofilm retentive factors that make oral hygiene difficult for patients [1]
The aim of this study is to develop and characterize an experimental orthodontic adhesive that incorporates boron nitride nanotubes and alkyl trimethyl ammonium bromide as a filler
The GCtrl (56.36 ± 0.82) and GBNNT/alkyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (ATAB) (55.64 ± 1.15) groups presented no statistical difference between degree of conversion (DC) results (p > 0.05)
Summary
Fixed orthodontic appliances act as biofilm retentive factors that make oral hygiene difficult for patients [1]. Fixed orthodontic appliances make patients susceptible to the accumulation of bacterial plaque around the brackets, which leads to enamel demineralization in the form of white spot lesions [3]. Sundararaj [1] reported a prevalence of white spot lesions in patients with fixed orthodontic appliances of 68.4%, which indicates the need for new preventive methods to reduce the occurrence of these lesions [1]. Orthodontic materials with antimicrobial and bioactive activities are desirable [4], and could be an alternative to prevent white lesions. The addition of antimicrobial agents [5] has been shown to inhibit or reduce bacterial growth [6] and to induce the remineralization of enamel that is already affected [7]
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