Preliminary work on the antibacterial effect of strontium in glass ionomer cements

摘要

Major problems associated with glass ionomer cement (GIC) dental materials are pulpal damage and the development of recurrent caries [1], which are caused by bacterial infection and not by the restorative material itself [2]. Bacteria can enter through the tooth/restoration interface by micro-leakage or it can multiply from single microbes remaining within the smear layer. Secondary caries is a result of these bacteria. Any antibacterial activity imparted by the restorative material will reduce pulpal damage and increase the restoration's longevity. Although the population of micro-organisms is known to reduce around GIC restorations [3], the available information about the antibacterial effects of GICs is limited in both the number of materials evaluated and the bacteria tested [4].