Adherence of S.mutans to fiber-reinforced-filling composite and restorative materials

Objectives: To study the adherence of Streptococcus mutans to a new short glass fiber-reinforced filling material (FC) and to 9 other restorative materials.

Methods: In the adhesion experiments the material specimens (1.FC, 2-3.two commercial restorative composites, unidirectional 4.glass and 5.polyethylene fiber-reinforced material, 6.amalgam, 7.glass-ionomer, 8.leucite reinforced glass ceramic, 9.enamel and 10.dentine;  Ø 7 mm discs) were rolled cell in suspensions (A550 0.35) of S. mutans for 30 min and then rinsed 3 times in 50 ml saline. The materials were tested as uncoated or precoated with saliva. The attached cells from one side of the disc were scraped to 0.5 ml of transport medium. For the enumeration of cells on the disc surfaces as colony forming units (CFU) the vials with the microbe samples were thoroughly Vortex-treated and after serial dilutions grown anaerobically for 2 days at +37 ˚C on Mitis salivarius agars (Difco) containing bacitracin. Bacterial adhesion was also evaluated by using scanning electron microscopy.

Results: FC and other commercial materials revealed similar adhesion of S. mutans, while adhesion to dentine and enamel was significantly higher (ANOVA, p<0.05). Saliva coating significantly decreased the adhesion for all materials but dentine and enamel still showed the highest S. mutans adhesion (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The new FC showed S. mutans adhesion of similar magnitude compared to the 9 other materials used in the study.