Choi J-K, et al. Journal of Dentistry, 2025, 156, 105649.
Nano silver fluoride (NSF) was formulated into two sustained-release coatings-NSF-E and NSF-EP (with polyethylene glycol 6000)-and applied to orthodontic elastomerics via dip-coating. These NSF-coated elastomerics were evaluated using bovine enamel substrates exposed to dental microcosm biofilms. Biofilm formation, bacterial viability, and enamel demineralization were assessed over a 7-day period. Confocal microscopy measured red/green fluorescence ratios, biofilm thickness, and live/dead cell distributions, while quantitative microbiome analysis was conducted on days 3 and 7. Notably, NSF-EP demonstrated a 36.1% reduction in biofilm thickness and significantly suppressed aciduric and total bacterial counts (13.0% and 9.4%, respectively). ΔF and ΔFmax fluorescence loss analyses showed that NSF-EP reduced enamel mineral loss by 34.8% and 38.7%. Spatial analysis revealed uniform caries inhibition irrespective of proximity to the elastomeric source.
