Synthesis and characterization of titanium silver composite for dental applications

Titanium and its alloys are commonly used in dental applications due to its superior mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. However, infection may reduce its lifetime and cause dental-related infections. This research work has been performed to improve the antibacterial and antifungal performance of the synthesized composite. To do so, Ag2O has been added with TiO2 to manufacture silver titanium composite by sintering method. The composite samples underwent Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and antimicrobial and antifungal analyses. The SEM images have confirmed the proper distribution of Ag2O in the samples. Percentages of crystallinity were determined by XRD analysis, which established the crystallinity of the manufactured samples. The maximum percentage of crystallinity was obtained from sample 1 which was 89.33%. The zone of inhibition confirmed excellent antibacterial and antifungal properties from all the samples. Zone of inhibition was obtained 20 mm against the gram-positive S. aureus bacterium. Besides, a 20 mm inhibition zone was also obtained against Aspergillus niger. The manufactured composites can be good candidates for dental applications based on the results and analysis.