Method and antibacterial/antimicrobial compositions in dental compositions

1. A dental composition comprising:

from about 0.1 weight percent to about 5.0 weight percent of an imidazolium-based polymerizable resin;

from about 5 weight percent to about 60 weight percent of a non-imidazolium-based polymerizable resin;

from about 0.005 weight percent to about 5 weight percent of at least one of a photoinitiator, a thermal/redox initiator or other additive;

from about 40 weight percent to about 90 weight percent of a glass filler having a particle size of from about 10 nm to about 100 microns; and

an optional inert solvent

wherein the imidazolium-based polymerizable resin has a formula of:

(A-X) n —Z—(Y—B—HR) m

wherein A is a polymerizable moiety selected from the group consisting of methacrylate, acrylate, epoxy and vinylether,

wherein B is an imidazole or a methyl imidazole,

wherein R is a hydrogen atom or an alky group having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms,

wherein H is a halogen atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom or an iodine atom,

wherein X and Y are the same or different and are an ether, ester, amide, imide, direct link, alkyl, or aromatic,

wherein Z is an alkyl or an aromatic, and

wherein n and m are integers of at least 1.

2. The dental composition according to claim 1 , wherein the imidazolium-based polymerizable resin demonstrates antibacterial activity capable of killing at least 99 percent of S. mutans.

3. The dental composition according to claim 1 , wherein the dental composition in its entirety is capable of an antibacterial activity capable to killing more than 99 percent of S. mutans and S. aureus.