Adhesion of C. albicans on PMMA Modified with AgNPs

Objectives: Evaluate bacterial adhesion of C. albicans (ATCC18804) to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) blocks added with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs).
Methods: A total of 80 samples were employed and were classified into four groups; C. albicans were cultivated. The blocks were submerged in a solution where microorganisms were previously radiolabeled. For quantitative analysis, a radioactive marker (³H) was used to codify the bacteria that adhered to the surface of the materials proportionally to colonization at 37°C. Analysis of variance (Sheffè post-hoc) was used for the statistical analysis.
Results: Significant differences in bacterial adhesion were found among the groups of AgNP-modified PMMA. The heat-curing PMMA groups demonstrated lower adherence to C. albicans as compared with self-curing PMMA groups.
Conclusions: The PMMA with AgNPs tested in group IV (AgNPs positive) showed the highest adherence to C. albicans, just as group V (AgNPs negative).