The sol–gel process emerges as an interesting strategy to obtain hybrid materials (organic–inorganic materials), it takes place under mild conditions and can produce nanoparticles with different shapes and sizes, leading to composite materials with multifunctional properties. In this paper will describe the synthesis and characterization of the mesoporous silica obtained by the sol–gel process as well as their potential applications as antimicrobial agents, biological markers, odontology, and others. Highly ordered mesoporous silica has gained attention from scientists because it exhibits large specific area and pore volume as well as low density. The preparation of mesoporous silica matrixes via the sol–gel process by using the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and the copolymer Pluronic P-123 as structure-driving agents. The results revealed that samples V and VII behaved the most efficiently. Log 10 CFU/mL decreased by more than two digits for Candida albicans , Staphylococcus aureus , and Streptococcus mutans and was statistically significant for all the tested microorganisms. Therefore, this study demonstrated that the functionalized mesoporous silica is a viable antimicrobial agent when it is incorporated into dental acrylic resin. Highlights The sol-gel methodology is an important to produce functionalized matrixes. The mesoporous silica can be obtained by template method using CTAB and Pluronic P-123 as pore-directing agent, and after functionalization can be apply into several field. The functionalized mesoporous silica is a viable antimicrobial agent.