Assessment of the antibacterial activity of glass ionomer cements modified by polyamidoamine and bioactive glass: An in vitro study.

Background: Secondary caries is one of the main reasons for the clinical failure in dental restorations. Therefore, it is preferable for restorative materials to possess antibacterial properties, which support a longlasting restoration.

Objectives: The present in vitro study aimed to evaluate the effect of both the polyamidoamine (PAMAM) liquid and bioactive glass (BAG) powder added to glass ionomer cements (GICs) on their antibacterial properties.

Material and methods: Polyamidoamine was prepared and characterized. Four groups were distinguished, as follows: GI - samples of commercially available GIC (control); GII - samples of GIC mixed with PAMAM; GIII - samples of GIC mixed with BAG; and GIV - samples of GIC mixed with PAMAM and BAG.The biofilm assessment test was conducted using a colony forming unit (CFU) count, and the ion release test was used to quantify the amount of released silica (Si), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (Ph), and sodium (Na) ions in mg/L. Thirty-six samples were prepared for each test. Furthermore, the pH of the soaking solution was measured for each sample in the ion release test. The parametric data was examined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.

Results: The biofilm assessment test revealed a significant reduction in the recovered Streptococcus mutans counts in all modified groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Also, the ion release test demonstrated a significant increase in the release of Si and Na ions for all modified groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The modification of GICs with PAMAM and BAG enhances their antibacterial properties.