Back to search

University of Dundee

Investigation of Silver Enhanced Dental Restorative Materials by the Development of an In Vitro Oral Biofilm Model

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Generally, in vitro oral biofilm models are commonly used to help in ‎understanding the complex processes and the factors affecting oral diseases. They help ‎to accurately predict, in a controlled and simplified way, a clinical outcome which can ‎lead us to preventive actions for a disease (Salli and Ouwehand, 2015).‎The complexity of biofilm research requires different approaches to address ‎various questions. Furthermore, models cannot capture all of the details involved with ‎disease formation, however it is considered a way of performing a reproducible ‎experiment under controlled conditions. Obviously there are ethical limitations with in ‎vivo studies in relation to caries and periodontal diseases. Therefore, different in vitro ‎techniques have been developed and are continuously improved to better address the ‎study question, to help interpret the results and to obtain as much information as ‎possible with other than clinical testing (Salli and Ouwehand, 2015).‎This project aimed at developing a robust in vitro oral biofilm model to ‎determine the effectiveness of enhanced dental restorative materials using antimicrobial ‎additives. It is focused on the antibacterial and mechanical properties of novel silver ‎formulations that have been combined with glass ionomer cement. Three out of nine ‎bacterial species considered to be early colonisers (Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus ‎mutans, & Neisseria subflava) were inoculated at 0.1 OD600 into wells containing ‎sterile glass-ionomer disks. The established artificial saliva media DMM (Defined ‎Medium Mucin) was used for 24-48Hrs studies, conducted under aerobic and anaerobic ‎conditions.‎Following incubation, the disks were washed with PBS (Phosphate Buffer ‎Saline) in a series of up to five, twelve minute steps. The bacterial community within the ‎well, loosely attached to the well surface and the disk, and finally the bacteria intimately ‎attached to the surface were determined using a viable count of Colony Forming Unit ‎Count (CFUs), a MTT metabolic assay and DNA quantification. Three silver solutions ‎were developed with different ionic concentrations, 5mg/ml, 10mg/ml and 13mg/ml. ‎The addition of polyvinyl alcohol to stabilise the 10mg/ml solution was investigated and ‎along with the MIC/MBC and the effect on the ability of three bacterial species to ‎survive and colonise glass ionomer disks was determined. In addition, compressive ‎strength, hardness and adhesive shear bond strength of each glass-ionomer silver disk ‎was assayed and compared with the base line glass-ionomer.‎The biofilm model favoured survival of S. oralis under aerobic conditions and N. ‎subflava and S. oralis under anaerobic conditions. Silver formulations proved to have ‎effects on both strength and antimicrobial activity. Specifically, 5mg/ml proved more ‎antibacterial than 10mg/ml silver. Compressive strength was enhanced for both ‎concentrations of additive, however bond strength became compromised at the higher ‎concentration.‎This model proved its efficiency to test the antibacterial activity of silver ‎enhanced glass ionomer cement in the presence of artificial saliva. Furthermore, addition ‎of 5mg/ml silver to the glass ionomer cement enhanced antibacterial activity and ‎physical properties significantly.‎

Degree

thesis:*
Name dc:type.qualificationname
Doctor of Philosophy
Level dc:type.qualificationlevel
Doctoral Thesis
Grantor dc:publisher.institution
University of Dundee
Year dc:date.issued
2018

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Elmanaseer, Wijdan Radwan
Advisors dc:contributor.advisor
  • Hector, Mark
  • Edwards, David

Rights

Language dc:language
eng

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Identifier
oai:discovery.dundee.ac.uk:studenttheses/ee764157-bdaa-4407-b4ee-92093c89c3f8
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:discovery.dundee.ac.uk:studenttheses/ee764157-bdaa-4407-b4ee-92093c89c3f8

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Dundee
Base URL
discovery.dundee.ac.uk/ws/oai
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Elmanaseer, Wijdan Radwan. Investigation of Silver Enhanced Dental Restorative Materials by the Development of an In Vitro Oral Biofilm Model. Doctoral Thesis thesis, University of Dundee, 2018. https://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/ee764157-bdaa-4407-b4ee-92093c89c3f8