Advanced Dentistry Biomaterials Containing Graphene Oxide.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Dental Materials

Background:

• Resin-based cements are widely used in dental restorations.
• There is a need for improved mechanical and antibacterial properties in dental cements.
• Graphene oxide (GO) and silver-doped hydroxyapatite (HA-Ag) show potential for enhancing biomaterials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize experimental resin-based cements containing varying percentages of graphene oxide (GO) and silver-doped hydroxyapatite (HA-Ag).
• To evaluate the physical-chemical, mechanical, structural, and antibacterial properties of these novel dental cements for posterior restorations.

Main Methods:

• Three experimental resin cements (S0, S1, S2) were prepared with different GO (0-0.2%) and HA-Ag (9.8-10%) content.
• Properties assessed included water absorption, degree of conversion, diametral tensile strength (DTS), compressive strength (CS), flexural strength (FS), SEM, AFM, and antibacterial activity against five bacterial strains.

Main Results:

• Mechanical properties (CS, FS) generally improved with increased GO content, while DTS showed no significant trend.
• Water absorption increased with higher GO percentages after 28 days.
• Enhanced antibacterial effects were observed with increased GO and decreased HA-Ag, particularly against specific bacterial strains.

Conclusions:

• The addition of GO, even at low percentages, significantly improved the mechanical and antibacterial properties of the experimental resin cements.
• These GO- and HA-Ag-containing cements demonstrate potential for use in posterior dental restorations due to their enhanced characteristics.