Silver nanoparticles in dentistry. literature review

Abstract

Introduction. Silver nanoparticles play a significant role in different fields of health sciences such as Dentistry, these nanoparticles revolutionize the way several types of treatments are performed. The application of nanoparticles can improve the dental materials’ physical and chemical properties, increase their efficacy, and enhance the effect after application. Nanoparticles are considered an innovative and promising technology in dentistry, as they can optimize early diagnosis and treatment methods in a significantly shorter time. Objective. To present a comprehensive and updated review of silver nanoparticles, their biological activities, and antimicrobial applications in dentistry. Methodology. The collection of information was based on scientific evidence on nanoparticles in the field of dentistry, where the databases used for the search of information were SciELO, ProQuest, Scopus, and Dialnet. Boolean operators were used to search for information: "AND" "OR" and "NOT." The keywords used to search for articles were "nanoparticles" and "dentistry." Results. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 900 articles were analyzed, of which 33 were identified as suitable for literature review. Conclusion. Nanoparticles used in dentistry have antimicrobial properties that, when combined with other substances and components used in the practice of different professional fields of dentistry, can control and prevent the spread of bacteria.