Antibacterial activity of proprietary self-etching primers

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Microbiology
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Self-etching primers are widely used in dental restorations.
• Understanding their antibacterial properties is crucial for preventing secondary caries.
• Previous research has focused on specific bacterial strains and limited primer types.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the in vitro antibacterial activity of three self-etching primers: LB primer (Liner Bond 2), FB primer (Fluoro Bond), and MB conditioner (Tokuso Mac Bond).
• To assess the primers' efficacy against key oral bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus casei, and Actinomyces viscosus.

Main Methods:

• Agar disc-diffusion method was employed to assess inhibition zones against bacterial strains.
• Quantitative analysis of viable bacteria (CFU/ml) after direct contact with primers was performed.
• Statistical analysis using ANOVA and Fisher's PLSD test determined significant differences (P < 0.05).

Main Results:

• LB primer and FB primer exhibited inhibition zones against S. mutans and A. viscosus.
• MB conditioner showed inhibition zones only against A. viscosus; no primers inhibited L. casei.
• All primers eradicated 1x10^4 CFU/ml S. mutans within 30 seconds. MB conditioner demonstrated the highest bactericidal activity against higher bacterial concentrations (1x10^5 and 1x10^6 CFU/ml), reducing viable bacteria by approximately 65% compared to FB primer (30%) and LB primer (minimal activity).

Conclusions:

• MB conditioner possesses the most significant in vitro bactericidal activity among the tested self-etching primers.
• The antibacterial efficacy varies among primers and bacterial species.
• Further in vivo studies are warranted to confirm clinical relevance.