Antibacterial activity of dental restorative materials

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Abstract
Summary. The antibacterial activity of several dental materials (zinc oxide‐eugenol cement, Kalzinol, zinc phosphate cement, Silicap, Super Syntrex, Aspa, Chembond, Chemfil and Aquacem) was investigated in vitro against six micro‐organisms isolated from ferret plaque (Moraxella spp., Escherichia coli, Corynebacterium spp., Actinomyces viscosus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus sanguis). All freshly mixed materials showed some degree of antibacterial activity, though the effects varied between micro‐organisms. A ranking order was obtained for each material, and each material exhibited some reduction of effect after 72 hours’ culture.There was a substantial reduction in bactericidal properties of all materials 24 hours and 7 days after setting, this reduction being least for zinc oxide‐eugenol cement. The possible relationship between the antibacterial activity of the materials, bacterial contamination of the cavity and the pulpal response is discussed.