Design of Multi-Functional Bio-Safe Dental Resin Composites with Mineralization and Anti-Biofilm Properties.

This study aims to develop multi-functional bio-safe dental resin composites with capabilities for mineralization, high in vitro biocompatibility, and anti-biofilm properties. To address this issue, experimental resin composites consisting of UDMA/TEGDMA-based dental resins and low quantities (1.9, 3.8, and 7.7 vol%) of 45S5 bioactive glass (BAG) particles were developed. To evaluate cellular responses of resin composites, MC3T3-E1 cells were (1) exposed to the original composites extracts, (2) cultured directly on the freshly cured resin composites, or (3) cultured on preconditioned composites that have been soaked in deionized water (DI water), a cell culture medium (MEM), or a simple HEPES-containing artificial remineralization promotion (SHARP) solution for 14 days. Cell adhesion, cell viability, and cell differentiation were, respectively, assessed. In addition, the anti-biofilm properties of BAG-loaded resin composites regarding bacterial viability, biofilm thickness, and biofilm morphology, were assessed for the first time. In vitro biological results demonstrated that cell metabolic activity and ALP expression were significantly diminished when subjected to composite extracts or direct contact with the resin composites containing BAG fillers. However, after the preconditioning treatments in MEM and SHARP solutions, the biomimetic calcium phosphate minerals on 7.7 vol% BAG-loaded composites revealed unimpaired or even better cellular processes, including cell adhesion, cell proliferation, and early cell differentiation. Furthermore, resin composites with 1.9, 3.8, and 7.7 vol% BAG could not only reduce cell viability in S. mutans biofilm on the composite surface but also reduce the biofilm thickness and bacterial aggregations. This phenomenon was more evident in BAG7.7 due to the high ionic osmotic pressure and alkaline microenvironment caused by BAG dissolution. This study concludes that multi-functional bio-safe resin composites with mineralization and anti-biofilm properties can be achieved by adding low quantities of BAG into the resin system, which offers promising abilities to mineralize as well as prevent caries without sacrificing biological activity.

A Narrative Review of Bioactive Glass-Loaded Dental Resin Composites.

This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the characterizations of bioactive glass (BAG)-loaded dental resin-based composite materials. Online databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and Science Direct) were used to collect data published from January 2011 to January 2022. Only BAG-containing resin adhesive and resin restorative composites are discussed in this narrative review. BAG-loaded resin composites exhibit excellent mineralization ability reflecting enhanced ion release, pH elevation, and apatite formation, especially regarding high BAG loading. This aids the anti-demineralization and remineralization of teeth. Furthermore, BAG-loaded resin composites demonstrated in vitro biocompatibility and antibacterial performance. It has been suggested that BAG fillers with small particle sizes and no more than 20 wt% in terms of loading amount should be used to guarantee the appropriate mechanical properties of resin composites. However, most of these studies focused on one or some aspects using different resin systems, BAG types, and BAG amounts. As such, this makes the comparison difficult, and it is essential to find an optimal balance between different properties. BAG-loaded resin composites can be regarded as bioactive materials, which present major benefits in dentistry, especially their capability in the bacterial inhibition, cell biocompatibility, anti-demineralization, and remineralization of teeth.

A biomimetic approach to evaluate mineralization of bioactive glass-loaded resin composites.

PURPOSE: This study explores novel solutions other than standard SBF for biomimetic evaluations of mineralization particularly for resin composites containing bioactive glass (BAG). METHODS: Experimental UDMA/TEGDMA resin composites with 0.0, 1.9, 3.8 or 7.7 vol% of 45S5 BAG fillers were prepared. Besides simulated body fluid (SBF) as control, the specimens were immersed in three other solutions either with bicarbonate which are Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) and cell culture medium (MEM), or without bicarbonate which is a novel Simple HEPES-containing Artificial Remineralization Promotion (SHARP) solution, for 3, 7 and 14 days. These solutions were then analyzed by ICP-OES and pH meter, and the surfaces of the BAG composites were analyzed by SEM, XRD and FTIR. RESULTS: ICP-OES revealed Ca and P concentration continuously decrease, while Si concentration increases with time in the solutions other than SBF, which showed almost unchanged elemental concentration. Only SHARP solution is able to maintain a constant pH over the immersion time. SEM, together with XRD and FTIR, showed nano-sized octacalcium phosphate (OCP) nanospheres formation on 3.8 and 7.7 vol% BAG composites after 14 days immersion in HBSS (500-600 nm) and MEM (300-400 nm). SHARP solution enabled OCP formation after 3 days and then self-assembled into urchin-like carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) microspheres encompassed with nanorods of 100 nm width and 8 µm length after 14 days of immersion for 7.7 vol% BAG composites. CONCLUSION: This study suggests SHARP solution can evaluate mineralization biomimetically whereas CHA microspheres can be formed on BAG-containing resin composites.

Enzyme-Directed Biomineralization Coating on TiO2 Nanotubes and its Positive Effect on Osteogenesis.

Hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs) have been reported to enhance osteogenesis. However, the nanoscale topography of TNTs usually vanishes due to the uncontrollable mineralization on the surface. In this study, TNTs with different diameters(small, 25 nm; medium, 55 nm; and large, 85 nm) were fabricated by anodization in 3 different voltages. Enzyme-directed biomineralization was adopted to deposit calcium phosphate on the above TNTs. The surface structures and properties of the coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, dispersive X-ray spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The osteogenesis effect of the hybrid TNT/HA and the original TNTs were evaluated. The results showed that hydroxyapatite deposited homogeneously along the TiO2 nanotubes while preserving the intrinsic nanotopography. Mechanically, alkaline phosphatase(ALP) played a critical role in the mineralization and large nanotube size is more favorable for the mineralizing process because of more ALP absorption. Besides, the hybrid nanosurface TNT/HA coating was found to improve the adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells compared to pure TNTs. Our study suggests that the hybrid TNT/HA coating constructed by enzyme-directed biomineralization on TiO2 nanotubes is a promising modification strategy for titanium implants.

Core-shell structure of hierarchical quasi-hollow MoS2 microspheres encapsulated porous carbon as stable anode for Li-ion batteries.

Monodisperse sulfonated polystyrene (SPS) microspheres are employed as both the template and carbon source to prepare MoS2 quasi-hollow microspheres-encapsulated porous carbon. The synthesis procedure involves the hydrothermal growth of MoS2 ultrathin nanosheets on the surface of SPS microspheres and subsequent annealing to remove SPS core. Incomplete decomposition of SPS during annealing due to the confining effect of MoS2 shells leaves residual porous carbon in the interior. When being evaluated as the anode materials of Li-ion batteries, the as-prepared C@MoS2 microspheres exhibit excellent cycling stability (95% of capacity retained after 100 cycles) and high rate behavior (560 mAh g(-1) at 5 A g(-1)).