Novel antibacterial mouthguard material manufactured using silver-nanoparticle–embedded ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer masterbatch

The purpose of the present study was to develop an antibacterial mouthguard (MG) material using a masterbatch of silvernanoparticle–embedded ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers. In order to verify that the testing material was clinically applicable as an antibacterial MG material, we conducted an antibacterial test, a shock absorption test, and analysis of in vitro silver release. The colony-forming activity of Streptococcus sobrinus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Escherichia coli were significantly inhibited on the testing materials compared with the commercial EVA sheet (p