Antimicrobial Activity in Chitosan-Treated Prosthetic Materials: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Microbiology
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Prosthetic materials, such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and tissue conditioners, are susceptible to microbial colonization.
• Developing effective antimicrobial strategies for these materials is crucial for patient health and prosthetic longevity.

Approach:

• A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, searching major databases for in vitro studies.
• Eleven articles were included, focusing on PMMA and tissue conditioners treated with chitosan.
• Data extraction and risk of bias analysis were performed to synthesize findings.

Key Points:

• Chitosan incorporation into tissue conditioners was explored in three studies.
• For PMMA, chitosan was used as a denture cleanser (3 studies), incorporated (2 studies), in multilayers (2 studies), and as a denture adhesive (1 study).
• Chitosan's antimicrobial efficacy is influenced by treatment method, chitosan characteristics, microorganism, and its organizational form.

Conclusions:

• Chitosan exhibits potent antimicrobial activity.
• Chitosan is an effective agent for the treatment of prosthetic materials, offering a promising approach to prevent microbial challenges.