Summary: | The aim of the present study was to formulate dental adhesives with different concentrations of LiNbO<sub>3</sub> and to evaluate their physicochemical and antibacterial properties. A dental adhesive was formulated using methacrylate monomers and photoinitiators and used as a control filler-free group. Subsequently, three experimental adhesives doped with LiNbO<sub>3</sub> at different concentrations (1 wt.%, 2 wt.%, and 5 wt.%) were also formulated. All the experimental adhesives were assessed to evaluate the degree of conversion (DC), softening in solvent, immediate and long-term microtensile bond-strength (μ-TBS), radiopacity, ultimate tensile strength, and antibacterial activity. The incorporation of 1 wt.% of LiNbO<sub>3</sub> had no negative effect on the DC of the adhesive resin compared to the control group (<i>p</i> > 0.05). We observed a decrease in the percentage of softening in solvent in the group LiNbO<sub>3</sub> at 1 wt.% (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The addition of LiNbO<sub>3</sub> increased the radiopacity at a concentration above 2 wt.%, and there was also an increase in cohesive strength (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The immediate μ-TBS increased for LiNbO<sub>3</sub> at 5 wt.% (<i>p</i> < 0.05), and there was no statistical difference for the other groups compared to the control (<i>p</i> > 0.05). After six months, the group with 5 wt.% still presented the highest μ-TBS (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The adhesives showed no antimicrobial activity (<i>p</i> > 0.05). LiNbO<sub>3</sub> was successfully incorporated in dental adhesives, increasing the radiopacity and their resistance to degradation. Although LiNbO<sub>3</sub> offered no antibacterial properties, the reliability of LiNbO<sub>3</sub> incorporation in the adhesive encourages new tests to better investigate the antimicrobial action of LiNbO<sub>3</sub> through temperature variation.
|