AbstractPurposeTo evaluate the antimicrobial activity and physico‐mechanical properties of an irreversible hydrocolloid in which nanostructured silver vanadate decorated with silver nanoparticles (AgVO3) was added at various concentrations (0% ‐ control, 2.5%, 5%, and 10% by weight).Materials and MethodsThe agar diffusion method (n = 10) was used to evaluate the inhibitory effect on the following species: Streptococcus mutans, Staphyloccocus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. The gelation time, flow capacity and plastic deformation were verified (n = 10). The data were analyzed using the Kruskal‐Wallis test followed by the Dunn post‐test, or via one‐way ANOVA with multiple comparisons with a Bonferroni adjustment depending on the distribution (α = 0.05).ResultsAll percentages of the nanomaterial were able to promote the antimicrobial activity of a hydrocolloid, with the formation of an inhibition zone (p < 0.05). In general, there was a dose‐dependent effect on antimicrobial activity: higher concentrations of the nanomaterial promoted greater action except in the cases of P. aeruginosa (p < 0.001; F = 51.74) and S. aureus (p < 0.001), where the highest inhibition was for the 2.5% group. No difference was found in the gelation time when the control was compared with the groups with AgVO3 (p > 0.05). The difference was between the 5% and 10% groups (p = 0.007), and the latter promoted an increase in time. The flow capacity of the hydrocolloid with 5% of AgVO3 was significantly lower when compared with the control (p = 0.034). The AgVO3 influenced the plastic deformation (p < 0.001) in such a way that concentrations of 5% (p = 0.010) and 10% (p < 0.001) promoted an increase in this property when compared with the control.ConclusionsAgVO3 can be incorporated into an irreversible hydrocolloid as an antimicrobial agent without promoting adverse effects on physical‐mechanical properties when used in concentrations of 2.5%.