ZnO/SiO2 Filler-Incorporated Resin Composites for Vat Photopolymerization of Dental Restorations with Antimicrobial Efficacy

This study aimed to develop dental resin composites containing ZnO/SiO2 ceramic particles as an antimicrobial filler for producing provisional dental restorations using the lithography-based liquid crystal display (LCD) 3D printing technique. Three types of dental resin-ceramic composites with different filler contents (0 wt%, 5 wt%, and 10 wt%) were prepared to offer high antimicrobial efficacy. Printing parameters, particularly off-time, were optimized for each composition to achieve high-quality prints. Mechanical testing demonstrated increased hardness and elastic modulus. In addition, the 10 vol% composite exhibited a three-point flexural strength of 113.4 MPa, exceeding the 100 MPa requirement specified in ISO 4049:2019 for provisional dental materials. Antimicrobial testing showed a significant reduction in Streptococcus mutans colonies, with up to 84.4% decrease for the 10 vol% composite compared to the unfilled resin. A provisional 3-unit bridge was successfully printed using the 10 vol% composite, demonstrating practical applicability.