Development and Characterization of a Poly(Amino Acid)-Based pH-Responsive Dual-Mode Antibacterial Nanoparticles Dental Restorative Resin

Dental caries is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. Prevention of secondary caries caused by bacterial infection, endowing dental restorative resin materials with effective resistance to harmful bacteria and microbial invasion, is an important direction in dental material development. In this study, we prepared a polyamino acid derivatives nanocarrier (PLG-g-mPEG) that can encapsulate both amoxicillin and polylysine (PL), which could achieve synergistic and rapid sterilization under acidic conditions. Then we utilized 1% (wt) pH-responsive nanoparticles (PPA NPs) for antimicrobial modification of dental resins. The results showed that the mechanical strength of the modified resin was not significantly different from that of the unmodified resin; the surface hydrophilicity of the modified resin was increased; the rapid and efficient killing of oral bacteria under acidic conditions could be realized. Incorporating PPA NPs into dental resin provides long-term antimicrobial activity for antimicrobial and anti-caries restorations. Furthermore, it can also be used to combine with other dental adhesives, cements, and sealants to achieve potent antimicrobial functionality.