Recent Advances in the Development of Antimicrobial and Antifouling Biocompatible Materials for Dental Applications

Abstract

The risk of secondary bacterial infections resulting from dental procedures has driven the design of antimicrobial and antifouling dental materials to curb pathogenic microbial growth, biofilm formation and subsequent oral and dental diseases. Studies have investigated approaches based primarily on contact-killing or release-killing materials. These materials are designed for addition into dental resins, adhesives and fillings or as immobilized coatings on tooth surfaces, titanium implants and dental prosthetics. This review discusses the recent developments in the different classes of biomaterials for antimicrobial and antifouling dental applications: polymeric drug-releasing materials, polymeric and metallic nanoparticles, polymeric biocides and antimicrobial peptides. With modifications to improve cytotoxicity and mechanical properties, contact-killing and anti-adhesion materials show potential for incorporation into dental materials for long-term clinical use as opposed to short-lived antimicrobial release-based coatings. However, extended durations of biocompatibility testing, and adjustment of essential biomaterial features to enhance material longevity in the oral cavity require further investigations to confirm suitability and safety of these materials in the clinical setting. The continuous exposure of dental restorative and regenerative materials to pathogenic microbes necessitates the implementation of antimicrobial and antifouling materials to either replace antibiotics or improve its rational use, especially in the day and age of the ever-increasing problem of antimicrobial resistance.

Latest Trends in Surface Modification for Dental Implantology: Innovative Developments and Analytical Applications

“…Moreover, they have also been used as super hydrophilic protein-repellent polymers due to the presence of hydrogen-bond acceptor groups rather than donors, which induce a hydration shell trough electrostatic interaction. In this way, fluids with a high protein content, such as saliva, are repelled and biofilm formation can be prevented [239].…”

Prosthetic Materials Used for Implant-Supported Restorations and Their Biochemical Oral Interactions: A Narrative Review

“…It is worth noting that the antibacterial properties of prosthetic materials used for obtaining implant-supported prostheses play a very important role in the longevity of dental implants [ 129 , 130 , 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , 135 , 136 ]. The antibacterial capacity of natural polymers [ 129 , 130 , 131 ], the addition of antimicrobial agents in polymer matrix [ 129 , 132 ], antibacterial coatings of both dental implants and prosthetic materials [ 133 , 134 ], and the incorporation of metallic, ceramic, or polymeric antimicrobial nanoparticles [ 133 , 134 , 135 , 136 ] may prevent microbial colonization, infection, and subsequent oral implant failure [ 133 ]. The multifunctional antimicrobial materials not only fight against oral infections, but they can promote the efficacy of medical devices as well [ 128 ].…”

Host Defense Peptide-Mimicking Polymers and Polymeric-Brush-Tethered Host Defense Peptides: Recent Developments, Limitations, and Potential Success

“…While the approach prevents surface contamination, it does not kill bacteria or inhibit their growth in solutions. Examples of such biomaterials are PEG and polymers with a zwitterionic nature, such as poly-(phosphorylcholine), poly(sulfobetaine), and poly-(carboxybetaine) [174,175]. (2) The second method is biocidal release-based coatings, in which the surface-coated biomaterials release biocidal compounds over time into the surrounding environment, killing adhered and nearby bacteria adjacent to the device.…”