Boron-containing coating yields enhanced antimicrobial and mechanical effects on translucent zirconia

Clarice Ferreira Sabino; Shruti Vidhawan Agarwalla; Camila da Silva Rodrigues; Ana Carolina da Silva; Tiago Moreira Bastos Campos; Kai Soo Tan; Vinicius Rosa; Renata Marques de Melo

doi:10.1016/j.dental.2023.10.011

Boron-containing coating yields enhanced antimicrobial and mechanical effects on translucent zirconia

Dent Mater. 2024 Jan;40(1):37-43. doi: 10.1016/j.dental.2023.10.011. Epub 2023 Oct 23.

Authors

Clarice Ferreira Sabino¹, Shruti Vidhawan Agarwalla², Camila da Silva Rodrigues¹, Ana Carolina da Silva¹, Tiago Moreira Bastos Campos³, Kai Soo Tan², Vinicius Rosa⁴, Renata Marques de Melo⁵

Affiliations

¹ São Paulo State University, Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics, Brazil.
² Faculty of Dentistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
³ Physics Department, Aeronautics Technological Institute, São José dos Campos, Brazil.
⁴ Faculty of Dentistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore; ORCHIDS: Oral Care Health Innovations and Designs Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address: vini@nus.edu.sg.
⁵ São Paulo State University, Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics, Brazil. Electronic address: renata.marinho@unesp.br.

PMID: 37880068
DOI: 10.1016/j.dental.2023.10.011

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the mechanical and antimicrobial properties of boron-containing coating on translucent zirconia (5Y-PSZ).

Methods: 5Y-PSZ discs (Control) were coated with a glaze (Glaze), silver- (AgCoat), or boron-containing (BCoat) glasses. The coatings' antimicrobial potential was characterized using S. mutans biofilms after 48 h via viable colony-forming units (CFU), metabolic activity (CV) assays, and quantification of extracellular polysaccharide matrix (EPS). Biofilm architectures were imaged under scanning electron and confocal laser scanning microscopies (SEM and CLSM). The cytocompatibility was determined at 24 h via WST-1 and LIVE&DEAD assays using periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). The coatings' effects on properties were characterized by Vickers hardness, biaxial bending tests, and fractography analysis. Statistical analyses were performed via one-way ANOVA, Tukey's tests, Weibull analysis, and Pearson's correlation analysis.

Results: BCoat significantly decreased biofilm formation, having the lowest CFU and metabolic activity compared with the other groups. BCoat and AgCoat presented the lowest EPS, followed by Glaze and Control. SEM and CLSM images revealed that the biofilms on BCoat were thin and sparse, with lower biovolume. In contrast, the other groups yielded robust biofilms with higher biovolume. The cytocompatibility was similar in all groups. BCoat, AgCoat, and Glaze also presented similar hardness and were significantly lower than Control. BCoat had the highest flexural strength, characteristic strength and Weibull parameters (σ_F: 625 MPa; σ₀: 620 MPa; m = 11.5), followed by AgCoat (σ_F: 464 MPa; σ₀: 478 MPa; m = 5.3).

Significance: BCoat is a cytocompatible coating with promising antimicrobial properties that can improve the mechanical properties and reliability of 5Y-PSZ.

Keywords: Ceramic; Fracture strength; Glass; Mechanical properties; S. mutans biofilm; Surface modification.

MeSH terms

Anti-Infective Agents*
Boron / pharmacology
Ceramics*
Materials Testing
Reproducibility of Results
Surface Properties
Zirconium / pharmacology

Substances

zirconium oxide
Boron
Zirconium
Anti-Infective Agents