Efeito in vitro de materiais restauradores, cimentantes e forradores sobre Streptococcus mutans

Abstract

One of the principles of dental practice is the prevention of caries in the margins of restorations. Since Streptococcus mutans are the main cariogenic species, the antibacterial activity of dental materials is clinically relevant. The purpose of this paper was to verify the action of different dental materials on S. mutans by means of the agar diffusion test. Test specimens were made from eleven materials (Vidrion C™, Vidrion F™, Vidrion N™, Vidrion R™, Vitremer™, Vitrebond™, Maxxion R™, zinc phosphate cement, IRM™, Panavia F™, and the Filtek Z-250™) for microbiological testing both immediately (t0) and 24h (t1) after curing. Plates containing BHI agar were incubated at 35.5 oC for 24h, and the halos of bacterial growth inhibition around the test specimens were measured and analyzed. At t0, the inhibition halos were induced by Vitremer™, MaxxionR ™, IRM™, Panavia F™ and Vitrebond™. Vitrebond™ exhibited a statistically higher antibacterial activity than the others (p < 0.001), and was the only material that kept its activity even after 24h subsequent to curing (t1). The glass-ionomer cement Vitrebond™ inhibits the bacterial growth and is potentially capable of decreasing the risk of secondary caries when used as a cavity liner; the other materials did not either inhibit or keep inhibiting the growth of S. mutans at 24h after curing.