Mechanical properties of an experimental resin based composite containing silver nanoparticles and bioactive glass

OBJECTIVE: To compare the elastic modulus, flexural strength, and hardness of an experimental resin based composite (RBC) with and without containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and bioactive glass (BAG) with a commercially available RBC. METHODS: This study was conducted, during the period August 2016-May 2018, at the Department of Dental Materials, Peshawar Dental College, Peshawar (Pakistan) and Department of Chemistry, University of Montreal, Canada. Test specimens made in the commercial RBC acted as Group-1 (G1). An experimental RBC containing 70 wt % filler content was synthesized. It was first used as such to prepare test specimens to act as the experimental control group (G2). This RBC was then modified by adding various amounts of BAG (5%, 10% and 15%) and a fixed amount of 0.009% AgNPs to use the so modified RBCs for preparing the test specimens to belong to three groups (G3, G4 & G5). The AgNPs had been synthesized in situ by reduction of salt during photo-polymerization. Flexural strength (FS), elastic modulus (EM) and Vickers hardness were determined using universal testing machine and hardness tester respectively. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc test. RESULTS: Except for G3 restorations showing significantly lower mean FS value, the FS for those in the other groups were not significantly different (p>0.05). Elastic modulus of the experimental RBC restorations was though higher than those of the others but the difference was statistically insignificant (p>0.05). Reduced Vickers hardness values were documented for the restorations in the G4 and G5 compared to those in the G3 but again the difference was insignificant (p>0.05). Flexural strength and hardness values of the test specimens in the experimental RBCs were significantly lower than those made in the commercial hybrid RBC (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: BAG and AgNPs addition to the experimental RBC in the mentioned concentration adversely affected the tested mechanical properties.