Targeted enamel remineralization with mineral-loaded starch particles.

Background: Noninvasive caries treatments work topically, which may limit efficacy. The authors hypothesized that an alternative approach using mineral-loaded particles designed to target the subsurface of noncavitated caries lesions could be advantageous. This study shows in vitro proof-of-concept.

Surface porosity of enamel white spot lesions and penetration of fluorapatite nanocrystals into their subsurface: proof-of-concept study.

Objectives: In this study, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to quantify the size of surface pore apertures of enamel white spot lesions and then demonstrated the penetration of fluorapatite nanocrystals (nFA) into the subsurface of these lesions.

Methods: For the porosity study, enamel lesions were created on three sound human teeth using a demineralizing gel for 8 days. The interface between sound enamel and the artificial lesion was analyzed by AFM.

Convolution Neural Networks and Targeted Fluorescent Nanoparticles to Detect and ICDAS Score Caries.

Previous work has shown targeted fluorescent starch nanoparticles (TFSNs) can label the subsurface of carious lesions and assist dental professionals in the diagnostic process. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the potential of using artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and score carious lesions using ICDAS in combination with fluorescent imaging following application of TFSNs on teeth with a range of lesion severities, using ICDAS-labeled images as the reference standard. A total of 130 extracted human teeth with ICDAS scores from 0 to 6 were selected by a calibrated cariologist.

Early occlusal caries detection using targeted fluorescent starch nanoparticles.

Objectives: We have previously shown fluorescent cationic starch nanoparticles (FCSNs) penetrate enamel surface porosity of active carious lesions, potentially aiding their detection. Here, we evaluate the in vitro diagnostic accuracy of FCSNs in detecting occlusal caries compared to histologic reference standard.

Methods: 100 extracted human teeth were selected with sound (50), or either non-cavitated (25) or cavitated (25) lesions.

A Highly Ordered, Nanostructured Fluorinated CaP-Coated Melt Electrowritten Scaffold for Periodontal Tissue Regeneration.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory, bacteria-triggered disorder affecting nearly half of American adults. Although some level of tissue regeneration is realized, its low success in complex cases demands superior strategies to amplify regenerative capacity. Herein, highly ordered scaffolds are engineered via Melt ElectroWriting (MEW), and the effects of strand spacing, as well as the presence of a nanostructured fluorinated calcium phosphate (F/CaP) coating on the adhesion/proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of human-derived periodontal ligament stem cells, are investigated.

Nanoparticle-Based Targeting and Detection of Microcavities.

Although dental caries is the most prevalent oral disease worldwide, currently, many dentists continue to use the traditional mirror and probe (dental explorer) method of caries diagnosis. This method of caries detection has the drawback that it is often difficult to distinguish between active and inactive carious lesions. In this work, novel bio-based nanoparticles are developed to specifically detect active caries in vitro.

Physicochemical and Antibacterial Characterization of a Novel Fluorapatite Coating.

Peri-implantitis remains the major impediment to the long-term use of dental implants. With increasing concern over the growth in antibiotic resistance, there is considerable interest in the preparation of antimicrobial dental implant coatings that also induce osseointegration. One such potential coating material is fluorapatite (FA).

Hexaarylbiimidazoles as visible light thiol-ene photoinitiators.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine if hexaarylbiimidazoles (HABIs) are efficient, visible light-active photoinitiators for thiol-ene systems. We hypothesize that, owing to the reactivity of lophyl radicals with thiols and the necessarily high concentration of thiol in thiol-ene formulations, HABIs will effectively initiate thiol-ene polymerization upon visible light irradiation.

Methods: UV-vis absorption spectra of photoinitiator solutions were obtained using UV-vis spectroscopy, while EPR spectroscopy was used to confirm radical species generation upon HABI photolysis.

Nano/micro fluorhydroxyapatite crystal pastes in the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity: an in vitro study.

Objectives: Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is a prevalent problem. This study aimed to formulate a paste using fluorhydroxyapatite (FA) crystals dispersed in different carriers to treat DH. The ability to occlude patent dentinal tubules and to release ions was investigated.

Enamel crystals of mice susceptible or resistant to dental fluorosis: an AFM study.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the overall apatite crystals profile in the enamel matrix of mice susceptible (A/J strain) or resistant (129P3/J strain) to dental fluorosis through analyses by atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Material And Methods: Samples from the enamel matrix in the early stages of secretion and maturation were obtained from the incisors of mice from both strains. All detectable traces of matrix protein were removed from the samples by a sequential extraction procedure.

Fluorapatite enhances mineralization of mesenchymal/endothelial cocultures.

In addition to the widely used mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), endothelial cells appear to be a favorable cell source for hard tissue regeneration. Previously, fluorapatite was shown to stimulate and enhance mineralization of MSCs. This study aims to investigate the growth of endothelial cells on synthesized ordered fluorapatite surfaces and their effect on the mineralization of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) through coculture.

In vitro differentiation and mineralization of dental pulp stem cells on enamel-like fluorapatite surfaces.

Our previous studies have shown good biocompatibility of fluorapatite (FA) crystal surfaces in providing a favorable environment for functional cell-matrix interactions of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and also in supporting their long-term growth. The aim of the current study was to further investigate whether this enamel-like surface can support the differentiation and mineralization of DPSCs, and, therefore, act as a potential model for studying the enamel/dentin interface and, perhaps, dentine/pulp regeneration in tooth tissue engineering. The human pathway-focused osteogenesis polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array demonstrated that the expression of osteogenesis-related genes of human DPSCs was increased on FA surfaces compared with that on etched stainless steel (SSE).

The stimulation of adipose-derived stem cell differentiation and mineralization by ordered rod-like fluorapatite coatings.

In this study, the effect of ordered rod-like FA coatings of metal discs on adipose-derived stem cell (ASC)'s growth, differentiation and mineralization was studied in vitro; and their mineral inductive effects in vivo. After 3 and 7 days, the cell number on the metal surfaces was significantly higher than those on the ordered and disordered FA surfaces. However, after 4 weeks much greater amounts of mineral formation was induced on the two FA surfaces with and even without osteogenesis induction.

The effect of novel fluorapatite surfaces on osteoblast-like cell adhesion, growth, and mineralization.

There is increasing demand for biomedical implants to correct skeletal defects caused by trauma, disease, or genetic disorder. In this study, the MG-63 cells were grown on metals coated with ordered and disordered fluorapatite (FA) crystal surfaces to study the biocompatibility, initial cellular response, and the underlying mechanisms during this process. The long-term growth and mineralization of the cells were also investigated.

The effect of the surface characteristics of various substrates on fluorapatite crystal growth, alignment, and spatial orientation.

Background: Fluorapatite-coated materials have potential application for dental and medical implants. In tooth development, the prism-like structure in enamel is thought to be created by the cells and proteins involved in enamel formation and maturation. This study investigated whether the substrate itself on which the films are grown, without the inclusion of cells or proteins, may affect their crystal alignment and three-dimensional morphology.

Matrix and TGF-beta-related gene expression during human dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) mineralization.

We have recently reported the induction of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) into dentin-secreting odontoblast-like cells after stimulation by isolated dentin matrix components, thus mimicking the nature of tissue regeneration seen after tooth disease and injury. After confluency, the cells were further cultured for 21 d in the 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) (control), and in this medium, with the addition of dentin extract (DE) and the mineralization supplement (MS) of ascorbic acid and beta-glycerophosphate (treatment). To identify genes associated with this process, specimens were analyzed with a HG-U133A human gene chip and Arrayassist software.

Synthesis of Fluorapatite Nanorods and Nanowires by Direct Precipitation from Solution.

In natural tooth enamel fluoride is always present in the carbonated hydroxyapatite mineral and plays a key role in the prevention of tooth decay. In this study we aimed at mimicking this natural anti-caries ability of the tooth by developing new, effective anticaries materials using fluorapatite nanorods or nanowires. We therefore investigated the conditions necessary to synthesize fluorapatite nanorods of different size, shape and composition for future use either directly or indirectly, that is by incorporation into dental materials, in the treatment and prevention of caries.

In vitro differentiation and mineralization of human dental pulp cells induced by dentin extract.

In this study, the progenitor cells isolated from the human dental pulp were used to study the effects of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-soluble dentin extract (DE) on their differentiation and mineralization to better understand tissue injury and repair in the tooth. Mineralization of the matrix was increasingly evident at 14, 21, and 28 d after treatment with a mineralization supplement (MS) (ascorbic acid [AA], beta-glycerophosphate [beta-GP]) and MS + DE. Real-time polymerase chain reaction results showed type I collagen upregulation after the addition of MS + DE at 7 d.

Nanoscale probing of the enamel nanorod surface using polyamidoamine dendrimers.

Although it is known that noncollagenous proteins of dental origin bind to the hydroxyapatite crystal surfaces, no measure of their binding strength has been calculated. This experiment used -COOH-capped generation 7 PAMAM dendrimers as nanoprobes of the biological hydroxyapatite nanorod surfaces. Dendrimer distribution was characterized using AFM.

Self-assembly of synthetic hydroxyapatite nanorods into an enamel prism-like structure.

The application of surfactants as reverse micelles or microemulsions for the synthesis and self-assembly of nanoscale structures is one of the most widely adopted methods in nanotechnology. These synthesized nanostructure assemblies sometimes have an ordered arrangement. The aim of this research was to take advantage of these latest developments in the area of nanotechnology to mimic the natural biomineralization process to create the hardest tissue in the human body, dental enamel.