Evaluation of two different self-disinfection alginate impression material

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy and mechanical properties of two experimental self-disinfecting alginate preparations utilising two different antimicrobial agents; povidone-iodine and silver nanoparticles. METHODS: Alginate moulds were assigned into three groups. Additives-free control group, povidone-iodine-containing group, and silver nanoparticle-containing group. Discs from each group were obtained and assessed for their antimicrobial activities by the disc diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. For the elastic recovery analysis, each group was divided into 6 samples. Each sample was mixed according to its group specification and subjected to surface detail reproduction and elastic recovery according to ISO 1563:1990 specifications. All data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation for each group at the significance level of P < 0.05. RESULTS: Results revealed that the experimental self-disinfection alginate possessed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities against the tested microorganisms, compared to the control group. No statistically significant differences in elastic recovery values between all tested groups (P > 0.05) were observed. For surface detail reproduction, all samples reproduced the 50 µm line. CONCLUSION: Povidone-iodine as well as silver nanoparticles could be used efficiently for the sanitization of alginate moulds without adverse effects on detail accuracy or elastic recovery of the impression material.