Antibacterial Drug Releasing Zinc Phosphate and Glass Ionomer Dental Cements for Secondary Caries Prevention: in vitro Study

Abstract

Zinc phosphate and glass ionomer dental cements have long been used in dentistry for filling carious teeth. However secondary or recurrent caries occur due to limitations in cleaning carious teeth. This work checks the suitability of dental cements in releasing drug locally. In addition the compatibility of drug and dental cements, weight variation tests and drug content uniformity tests of the drug releasing units, bioactivity of the drug released and the effect of cement types, drug release medium and size of units on drug release were also studied. The results of the work suggest the use of zinc phosphate cement units for delivery of antibacterial drug locally and in a controlled fashion for the prevention of secondary caries.