Available online 15 November 2022

The influence of silver nanoparticles on adhesive properties of Single Bond Universal (3M ESPE) and the antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles-modified adhesives against Streptococcus mutans is unclear.

The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of silver nanoparticles on the dentin bond strength of modified adhesives and the antibacterial activity against the cariogenic pathogen S. mutans.

Single Bond Universal adhesive was used as the control. Silver nanoparticles were added to adhesives at 0.05% and 0.1% (by weight) (experimental groups), and scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the uniformity of the modified adhesives. The Single Bond Universal adhesive and the modified adhesives were then used to prepare dentin-composite resin blocks. The microtensile bond strength and microleakage of the prepared dentin-composite resin blocks were determined with or without thermocycling. The colony-forming units (CFU) of S. mutans cultured with the adhesives were evaluated, and the microtensile bond strength and microleakage of each group were tested after treatment with S. mutans. The differences in the microtensile bond strength or CFU were analyzed by using the 2-way analysis of variance and independent sample t test. The differences in microleakage between the groups were evaluated by using the Mann-Whitney test (α=.05).

Silver nanoparticle-modified adhesives exhibited uniform morphologies without agglomeration and exhibited a homogeneous adhesive layer in dentin-composite resin blocks. The microtensile bond strength and microleakage of the modified adhesives were similar to those of the control group, with or without thermocycling (P>.05). However, thermocycling reduced the bond strength significantly (P<.001). Self-etch adhesives incorporated with silver nanoparticles showed significant antibacterial activities after less than 6 months of aging treatment. The modified adhesives did not exhibit a decreased bond strength after S. mutans exposure (P>.05), while the control group exhibited a markedly decreased bond strength after S. mutans exposure (P<.05).

Silver nanoparticle-modified adhesives showed excellent antibacterial activities against S. mutans and resisted the destruction of dentin bond strength caused by S. mutans while not compromising the bonding properties of Single Bond Universal self-etch adhesives.

© 2022 by the Editorial Council for The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry.