The effect of an antibacterial monomer on the antibacterial activity and mechanical properties of a pit-and-fissure sealant

Background. The authors incorporated an antibacterial monomer, methacryloxylethyl cetyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DMAE-CB), into a commercial pit-and-fissure sealant to evaluate the monomer's antibacterial activity and mechanical properties. Methods. The authors incorporated DMAE-CB at 1 percent by weight into a commercially available sealant (Helioseal, Ivodar Vivadent, Schaan, Lichtenstein). The same sealant, Helioseal, without DMAE-CB served as a negative control. The authors used Helioseal F (Ivoclar Vivadent), containing a fluoride-releasing resin, as a positive control. They determined effects of the cured sealants and their eluents on the growth of Streptococcus mutans by means of a film contact test and absorbance measurement, respectively. They measured and compared surface contact angle, degree of conversion, microhardness and microleakage. Results. The authors found that in comparison with the negative control sealant, the cured sealant containing DMAE-CB had an inhibitory effect on the growth of S. mutans (P < .05), whereas the eluents of neither of these sealants showed any detectable antibacterial activity. The positive control also showed no detectable bactericidal activity. Moreover, there were no significant differences in the contact angle, degree of conversion, microhardness and microleakage between the DMAE-CB group and the negative control group (P > .05). Conclusions. The incorporation of DMAE-CB can provide sealant with contact antibacterial activity after polymerization by influencing the growth of S. mutans. The incorporation of small amounts of the monomer DMAE-CB showed no influence on the contact angle, degree of conversion, hardness and microleakage of the parental material. Clinical Implications. The results provided inference concerning the potential clinical performance of the sealant with antibacterial activity.