Antimicrobial Properties of Silver Nitrate Nanoparticle and Its Application in Endodontics and Dentistry: A Review of Literature

Background. The silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are the most acceptable and excellent nanotechnology-based product among all metallic nanoparticles (noble metals). They are novel in terms of good conductivity, catalytic, chemical stability, and most significant anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities. Aim. This review is aimed at understanding the synthesis, mechanism, and applications of Ag NPs in dentistry and their qualities to aid clinicians and researchers. Materials and Methods. A electronic search for literature was performed on the Google Scholar, PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases for related articles using multiple keywords. The keywords used were antimicrobial properties, mechanism of action, and current uses of Ag NPs in dentistry. The search was limited to articles published in the English language; no deadline was set for publications. Results. About 185 articles were considered relevant to the reported research out of 6420 electronic search results. Only the publications that were required were received after all abstracts were assessed for relevance. After a final electronic and manual search, roughly 47 research publications were found to be helpful in this study. Conclusion. The Ag NPs, unlike other biomaterials used in dentistry, have unique biological features and could be used in endodontics, restorative dentistry, periodontology, prosthetic dentistry, implantology, and oral malignancies, because of their antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral effects.