Journal of Dental Research, Vol 68, 835-839, Copyright © 1989 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
The modified model cavity method for assessing antibacterial properties of dental restorative materials
S. D. Meryon and S. G. Johnson
Department of Oral Pathology, Dental School, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
A new in vitro method for assessing the antibacterial properties of dental
restorative materials is described with ratios of test material/culture
medium volume aiming to simulate conditions around a restoration in vivo.
Antibacterial activity is determined by the reduction in optical density of
the test culture relative to controls. The method was used for assessment
of the antibacterial activity of five dental materials of different
composition against five oral bacteria. Release of zinc and fluoride from
these materials was also measured and correlated with antibacterial
activity. There was a general trend toward greater antibacterial activity
with increased zinc release, while fluoride release had a significant
effect on only one organism. While all the materials, when freshly mixed,
were strongly toxic to three out of the five bacteria studied, much of this
activity was lost after the materials had set.
