Surface antibacterial properties of packable resin composites: part I.
OBJECTIVE
Restorative materials that possess antibacterial properties are considered advantageous. The aim of this study was to test the antibacterial properties of packable resin composite materials using a direct contact test (DCT) and an agar diffusion test (ADT).


METHODS
Quadruple samples of SureFil, Alert, P-60, Synergy Compact, Pyramid, and Solitair were placed on the sidewalls of wells in a 96-microtiter plate, and polymerized. A suspension of 10-microL growth medium containing ca. 1 x 10(6) viable mutans streptococci cells were placed on the surface of each sample for 1 hour at 37 degrees C. Fresh medium was then added to each well, and the microtiter plates were placed in a temperature-controlled spectrophotometer which also served as an incubator. Bacterial growth was followed by recording the changes in optical density every 30 minutes for 16 hours. The ADT was performed by placing samples in punched wells of inoculated agar plates, and measurement of the inhibition zone was performed after 72 hours.


RESULTS
In both tests, none of the materials inhibited growth of S. mutans. In the DCT, three materials enhanced bacterial growth. Composite samples, aged in phosphate buffered saline for 7 and 30 days, showed no differences when on tested material and controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Packable composite materials revealed no antibacterial properties. Furthermore, freshly polymerized composites supported bacterial growth.
Matalon
Shlomo
S
Department of Restorative Dentistry, The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Slutzky
Hagay
H
Weiss
Ervin I
EI
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D008422:Materials Testing; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000494:pharmacology; D019279:Resin Cements / Q000494:pharmacology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
C406265:Alert composite resin; D003188:Composite Resins; C438835:Filtek P60 Composite Resin; D008689:Methacrylates; C428803:Pyramid Packable Composite; D019279:Resin Cements; C113049:Solitaire composite resin; C403464:SureFil packable composite; C485972:synergy compact resin cement