Antimicrobial properties of glass-ionomer cements and other restorative materials.

The antimicrobial properties of 14 different restorative materials, nine of which were glass-ionomer cements, were compared and observed in this study. The materials were mixed according to manufacturers' specifications and exposed to four types of bacteria commonly found in caries and plaque. Zones of bacterial inhibition were measured for all materials in millimeters. Glass-ionomer cement materials, materials containing zinc oxide, and amalgam produced measureable zones of inhibition.