Nanostructured Clays Used as Carriers for Controlled Delivery of Antibacterial Compounds From Direct Restorative Dental Materials: A Scoping Review.

Objective: Through a scoping review, this study meticulously mapped and characterized these nanostructured clays used to release antibacterial active compounds from direct restorative dental materials.

Material And Methods: The systematic approach involved searches in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Lilacs, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Embase databases. Two independent and calibrated researchers (kappa: 0.94) performed all systematic steps according to the PRISMA guideline and the Joanna Briggs Institute Scoping Review Methodology Group (JBI) protocol. The reviewers developed a data extraction table to gather key information.

Results: A total of 782 articles were retrieved in the initial search using the specified strategies. After thoroughly reviewing the manuscripts, five were selected following the exclusion of duplicates and application of eligibility criteria. Montmorillonite and halloysite nanotubes emerged as the predominant nanostructured clay. Cetylpyridinium chloride was the most common active agent, notable for its antibacterial properties. Resin-based composites were the most frequently studied direct restorative material for the prevention of recurrent caries.

Conclusion: Although the number of primary studies published in the literature was limited, montmorillonite and halloysite nanotubes appear to be promising nanocarriers for antibacterial active compounds in direct restorative dental materials.