Antimicrobial Properties of Silver Nitrate Nanoparticle and Its Application in Endodontics and Dentistry: A Review of Literature

Table 5

Demonstration of material combinations with Ag NPs used in dentistry.

Department of dentistry	Biomaterials	References
Prosthodontics	(i) Acrylic resin—the Ag NPs can be mixed into acrylic resin to stop the development of microorganisms like Streptococcus aureus, E. coli, and Staphylococcus mutans; (ii) Porcelain—the latent compressive stress induced by a differential thermal expansion and ion exchange reaction of silver nanoparticles in porcelain is responsible for its reinforced mechanical qualities, including as hardness and fracture toughness	[78, 79]
Periodontics	(i) Guided tissue regeneration (GTR)—the GTR membrane with Ag NPs decreased the bacterial adhesion and permeation, treating intrabony defects and increase clinical outcomes; (ii) Periodontal dressings—periodontal dressings A (25 percent ) and B (50 percent ) of Ag NP concentration were utilized to determine the optimal Ag NP dosages for postsurgery healing of periodontal wounds; (iii) Capping agent—sodium alginate capped Ag NPs encourage the suppression of Gram-negative bacteria, which are the most common cause of periodontal diseases	[40, 48]
Orthodontics	(i) Adhesives—when compared to conventional adhesives, Ag NPs significantly reduced adhesion of streptococci to orthodontic adhesives while maintaining shear bond strength; (ii) Cements—cements with Ag NPs could be used to avoid white spot lesions in orthodontic treatments	[40]
Dental implants	(i) Modification of implant surfaces with Ag NPs utilizing numerous doping approaches is presently a hot topic, related to the safety and effective bactericidal capabilities of Ag NPs; (ii) Dental implants made of titanium infused with Ag NPs can improve bone mineral thickness, bone growth, and trabecular shape while causing no damage to the tissues surrounding the implants	[80]
Pedodontics	(i) Cements—the antibacterial activity is mediated by the discharge of Ag ions, who induces oxidative breakdown in the cement substance, preventing the formation of oral biofilms and suppressing tooth caries; (ii) Resins—Ag NPs was added into a resin matrix, which is employed in chitosan polymer-based restorations of deciduous and permanent dentitions	[57]
Preventive dentistry	(i) Silver ions can precipitate and penetrate in carious lesions, causing enamel hardness; (ii) Dental surgeons employ varnish like silver nanofluoride and silver diamine fluoride in the clinical practice to remineralize incipient lesions	[81]
Oral and maxillofacial surgery	(i) Anticancer effect—early detection of malignancies and the use of a drug delivery method to a cancer-affected spot can be advantageous because it reduces the patient’s anxiety; (ii) The green route method for Ag NPs was discovered to have an immediate suppressive anticancer effects	[40]