Tantalum oxide as filler for dental adhesive resin

Radiopaque Crystalline, Non-Crystalline and Nanostructured Bioceramics

Radiopacity is sometimes an essential characteristic of biomaterials that can help clinicians perform follow-ups during pre- and post-interventional radiological imaging. Due to their chemical composition and structure, most bioceramics are inherently radiopaque but can still be doped/mixed with radiopacifiers to increase their visualization during or after medical procedures. The radiopacifiers are frequently heavy elements of the periodic table, such as Bi, Zr, Sr, Ba, Ta, Zn, Y, etc., or their relevant compounds that can confer enhanced radiopacity. Radiopaque bioceramics are also intriguing additives for biopolymers and hybrids, which are extensively researched and developed nowadays for various biomedical setups. The present work aims to provide an overview of radiopaque bioceramics, specifically crystalline, non-crystalline (glassy), and nanostructured bioceramics designed for applications in orthopedics, dentistry, and cancer therapy. Furthermore, the modification of the chemical, physical, and biological properties of parent ceramics/biopolymers due to the addition of radiopacifiers is critically discussed. We also point out future research lacunas in this exciting field that bioceramists can explore further.

Nanofiller Particles and Bonding Durability, Water Sorption, and Solubility of Universal Adhesives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of nanofiller particles in simplified universal adhesive on the long-term microtensile bond strength and silver nitrate up-take, as well as water sorption and solubility. Commercial adhesives Ambar Universal (FGM) in nanofilled-containing version (filled) and same lot without fillers (unfilled) were donated and applied by means of etch-and-rinse strategy. Microtensile bond strength was surveyed after 24-hours or 1-year water storage. Silver nitrate uptake was assayed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Water sorption and solubility experiments were performed based on ISO 4049:2009. Statistical analysis was performed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey test (p<0.05). The bond strength of both the adhesives were statistically similar at 24 hours (p>0.05), but the filled group attained significant bond strength reduction after aging when compared to initial bond strength (p<0.001). Conversely, unfilled adhesive presented stable adhesion after 1-year storage (p=0.262). Silver nitrate uptake was similar for both adhesives, with little silver impregnation at the hybrid and adhesive layers. Water sorption was higher with filled adhesive compared to the unfilled one (p=0.01). Conversely, solubility was higher in unfilled in comparison to filled one (p=0.008). The presence of nanofillers in universal adhesive achieves higher water sorption and dentin bond degradation, which did not occur in the unfilled adhesive.

Intrinsically radiopaque biomaterial assortments: a short review on the physical principles, X-ray imageability, and state-of-the-art developments

X-ray attenuation ability, otherwise known as radiopacity of a material, could be indisputably tagged as the central and decisive parameter that produces contrast in an X-ray image. Radiopaque biomaterials are vital in the healthcare sector that helps clinicians to track them unambiguously during pre and post interventional radiological procedures. Medical imaging is one of the most powerful resources in the diagnostic sector that aids improved treatment outcomes for patients. Intrinsically radiopaque biomaterials enable themselves for visual targeting/positioning as well as to monitor their fate and further provide the radiologists with critical insights about the surgical site. Moreover, the emergence of advanced real-time imaging modalities is a boon to the contemporary healthcare systems that allow to perform minimally invasive surgical procedures and thereby reduce the healthcare costs and minimize patient trauma. X-ray based imaging is one such technologically upgraded diagnostic tool with many variants like digital X-ray, computed tomography, digital subtraction angiography, and fluoroscopy. In light of these facts, this review is aimed to briefly consolidate the physical principles of X-ray attenuation by a radiopaque material, measurement of radiopacity, classification of radiopaque biomaterials, and their recent advanced applications.

Metal Oxide Nanoparticles and Nanotubes: Ultrasmall Nanostructures to Engineer Antibacterial and Improved Dental Adhesives and Composites

Advances in nanotechnology have unlocked exclusive and relevant capabilities that are being applied to develop new dental restorative materials. Metal oxide nanoparticles and nanotubes perform functions relevant to a range of dental purposes beyond the traditional role of filler reinforcement-they can release ions from their inorganic compounds damaging oral pathogens, deliver calcium phosphate compounds, provide contrast during imaging, protect dental tissues during a bacterial acid attack, and improve the mineral content of the bonding interface. These capabilities make metal oxide nanoparticles and nanotubes useful for dental adhesives and composites, as these materials are the most used restorative materials in daily dental practice for tooth restorations. Secondary caries and material fractures have been recognized as the most common routes for the failure of composite restorations and bonding interface in the clinical setting. This review covers the significant capabilities of metal oxide nanoparticles and nanotubes incorporated into dental adhesives and composites, focusing on the novel benefits of antibacterial properties and how they relate to their translational applications in restorative dentistry. We pay close attention to how the development of contemporary antibacterial dental materials requires extensive interdisciplinary collaboration to accomplish particular and complex biological tasks to tackle secondary caries. We complement our discussion of dental adhesives and composites containing metal oxide nanoparticles and nanotubes with considerations needed for clinical application. We anticipate that readers will gain a complete picture of the expansive possibilities of using metal oxide nanoparticles and nanotubes to develop new dental materials and inspire further interdisciplinary development in this area.

Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Resin-Based Materials Applied in Dental Restorations

Resin-based materials have been prevalent for dental restorations over the past few decades and have been widely used for a variety of direct and indirect procedures. Typically, resin-based dental materials are required to be flowable or moldable before setting and can provide adequate mechanical strength after setting. The setting method may include, but is not limited to, light-curing, self-curing or heating. In this review, based on different indications of resin-based dental materials (e.g., dental filling composite, dental bonding agent, resin luting cement), their rheological and mechanical properties were reviewed. Viscous and flexible properties were focused on for materials before setting, while elastic properties and mechanical strength were focused on for materials after setting. At the same time, the factors that may affect their rheological and mechanical properties were discussed. It is anticipated that the insightful information and prospections of this study will be useful to the future development and fabrication of resin-based dental restorative materials.

Synergistic Effect of Bioactive Inorganic Fillers in Enhancing Properties of Dentin Adhesives-A Review

Dentin adhesives (DAs) play a critical role in the clinical success of dental resin composite (DRC) restorations. A strong bond between the adhesive and dentin improves the longevity of the restoration, but it is strongly dependent on the various properties of DAs. The current review was aimed at summarizing the information present in the literature regarding the improvement of the properties of DAs noticed after the addition of bioactive inorganic fillers. From our search, we were able to find evidence of multiple bioactive inorganic fillers (bioactive glass, hydroxyapatite, amorphous calcium phosphate, graphene oxide, calcium chloride, zinc chloride, silica, and niobium pentoxide) in the literature that have been used to improve the different properties of DAs. These improvements can be seen in the form of improved hardness, higher modulus of elasticity, enhanced bond, flexural, and ultimate tensile strength, improved fracture toughness, reduced nanoleakage, remineralization of the adhesive-dentin interface, improved resin tag formation, greater radiopacity, antibacterial effect, and improved DC (observed for some fillers). Most of the studies dealing with the subject area are in vitro. Future in situ and in vivo studies are recommended to positively attest to the results of laboratory findings.

Wollastonite as filler of an experimental dental adhesive

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to formulate experimental dental adhesives with wollastonite and evaluate the physical, chemical, and bioactivity properties of the resins.

METHODS

Wollastonite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray and laser diffraction analyses, and scanning electronic microscopy. An experimental adhesive resin was formulated, and wollastonite was used as filler at 0 (control group), 0.5, 1, or 2 wt.%. Radiopacity, degree of conversion (DC%), microhardness, softening in solvent, ultimate tensile strength (UTS), 24 h- and 1 year- microtensile bond strength (μTBS), mineral deposition, and color of the adhesives were evaluated.

RESULTS

Wollastonite particles showed a needle-like shape, a mean diameter of 70 (± 30) μm, characteristic chemical peaks, and pure crystalline β-CaSiO₃ phase. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) for radiopacity, softening in solvent, and color change. The group with 2 wt.% of wollastonite showed higher microhardness and UTS in comparison to the control group (p < 0.05). After one year, the control group showed reduced μTBS compared to the immediate value (p < 0.05). The groups with wollastonite presented stable μTBS after one year in comparison to the immediate μTBS (p > 0.05). Wollastonite induced mineral deposition on the adhesive surface over the time of storage in simulated body fluid.

CONCLUSION

The addition of wollastonite improved the mechanical behavior of the adhesive without changing the analyzed chemical properties. The adhesives with this filler presented mineral deposition and acceptable clinical color. Moreover, dentin treated with wollastonite-doped adhesives showed higher bonding stability after one year of aging.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Wollastonite, a silicate-based material, provided bioactivity for the adhesives, which assists in producing therapeutic tooth-restoration interfaces. Moreover, the incorporation of this mineral improOfiller to improve the biological properties of adhesives and assist in dentin-restoration stability.

Exploring Needle-Like Zinc Oxide Nanostructures for Improving Dental Resin Sealers: Design and Evaluation of Antibacterial, Physical and Chemical Properties

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of needle-like zinc oxide nanostructures (ZnO-NN) on the physical, chemical, and antibacterial properties of experimental methacrylate-based dental sealers. ZnO-NN was synthesized and characterized. ZnO-NN was added to a co-monomer blend at 20, 30, and 40 wt.%. One group without ZnO-NN was used as a control. The dental resin sealers were evaluated for their flow, film thickness, water sorption, solubility, radiopacity, degree of conversion (DC), dental-sealer interface characterization via micro-Raman, and antibacterial activity. ZnO-NN presented a mean needle diameter of 40 nm and 16 m²/g of surface area. There was no difference among groups containing ZnO-NN regarding their flow. The ZnO-NN addition significantly increased the film thickness. Water sorption and solubility tests showed no difference among groups. The radiopacity increased, and DC decreased with higher concentrations of ZnO-NN. Micro-Raman suggested that ZnO-NN was in close contact with root canal dentin. Overall, the incorporation of ZnO-NN provided an antibacterial effect against Enterococcus faecalis without a significant detrimental impact on the physical and chemical functionality of the material. The use of ZnO-NN as an inorganic filler is a potential application within dental materials intended for root canal treatment.

Cerium Dioxide Particles to Tune Radiopacity of Dental Adhesives: Microstructural and Physico-Chemical Evaluation

The insufficient radiopacity of dental adhesives applied under composite restorations makes the radiographic diagnosis of recurrent caries challenging. Consequently, the misdiagnosis may lead to unnecessary replacement of restorations. The aims of this study were to formulate experimental dental adhesives containing cerium dioxide (CeO₂) and investigate the effects of different loadings of CeO₂ on their radiopacity and degree of conversion for the first time. CeO₂ was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, and laser diffraction for particle size analysis. Experimental dental adhesives were formulated with CeO₂ as the inorganic filler with loadings ranging from 0.36 to 5.76 vol.%. The unfilled adhesive was used as a control. The studied adhesives were evaluated for dispersion of CeO₂ in the polymerized samples_, degree of conversion, and radiopacity. CeO₂ presented a monoclinic crystalline phase, peaks related to Ce-O bonding, and an average particle size of around 16 µm. CeO₂ was dispersed in the adhesive, and the addition of these particles increased the adhesives’ radiopacity (p < 0.05). There was a significant decrease in the degree of conversion with CeO₂ loadings higher than 1.44 vol.%. However, all materials showed a similar degree of conversion in comparison to commercially available adhesives. CeO₂ particles were investigated for the first time as a promising compound to improve the radiopacity of the dental adhesives.

Ionic Liquid–Stabilized Titania Quantum Dots Applied in Adhesive Resin

Quantum dots (QDs; 1 to 10 nm) were recently synthesized by sol-gel and used as nonagglomerated nanoparticles in adhesive resin. The sol-gel process presented a low yield and resulted in a liquid product without stability. In this study, an imidazolium ionic liquid (IL; 1- n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, BMI.BF4) was used as stabilizing agent to synthesize titanium dioxide QDs (TiO2QDs/BMI.BF4) via a chemical route. The product was isolated as powder after washing, centrifuging, and drying. An experimental adhesive resin was formulated by mixing methacrylate monomers and a photoinitiator system. The TiO2QDs/BMI.BF4 powder was incorporated at 2.5 (G2.5%) and 5 (G5%) wt% in the adhesive resin, and one group remained without TiO2QDs/BMI.BF4 powder as the control (Gctrl). The TiO2QDs/BMI.BF4 powder was analyzed by micro-Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and transmission electron microscopy. The dispersion of TiO2QDs/BMI.BF4 powder was analyzed in the polymerized adhesive resin with transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. The adhesive resins were evaluated for immediate and long-term antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity, polymerization behavior, degree of conversion, softening in solvent, immediate and long-term microtensile bond strength, and fracture pattern. The TiO2QDs/BMI.BF4 powder showed peaks of anatase and rutile and 26 wt% of BMI.BF4. TiO2QDs/BMI.BF4 presented a minimum size of 1.19 nm, a maximum size of 7.11 nm, and a mean ± SD size of 3.54 ± 1.08 nm. TiO2QDs/BMI.BF4 was dispersed in the adhesive resin without agglomeration, presenting intermittent luminescence by blinking. The addition of any tested concentration of TiO2QDs/BMI.BF4 powder provided immediate and long-term antibacterial activity without cytotoxic effect against the pulp fibroblasts. Furthermore, compared with Gctrl, G2.5% showed reliable polymerization behavior and degree of conversion without differences for softening in solvent with maintenance of bond adhesion to tooth immediately and over time. Thus, the incorporation of 2.5 wt% of TiO2QDs/BMI.BF4 in adhesive resin showed reliable physical, chemical, and biological properties.

Antibacterial, chemical and physical properties of sealants with polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHMGH) in the physico-chemical properties and antibacterial activity of an experimental resin sealant. An experimental resin sealant was formulated with 60 wt.% of bisphenol A glycol dimethacrylate and 40 wt.% of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate with a photoinitiator/co-initiator system. PHMGH was added at 0.5 (G0.5%), 1 (G1%), and 2 (G2%) wt.% and one group remained without PHMGH, used as control (GCTRL). The resin sealants were analyzed for degree of conversion (DC), Knoop hardness (KHN), and softening in solvent (ΔKHN), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), contact angle (θ) with water or α-bromonaphthalene, surface free energy (SFE), and antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans for biofilm formation and planktonic bacteria. There was no significant difference for DC (p > 0.05). The initial Knoop hardness ranged from 17.30 (±0.50) to 19.50 (± 0.45), with lower value for GCTRL (p < 0.05). All groups presented lower KHN after immersion in solvent (p < 0.05). The ΔKHN ranged from 47.22 (± 4.30) to 57.22 (± 5.42)%, without significant difference (p > 0.05). The UTS ranged from 54.72 (± 11.05) MPa to 60.46 (± 6.50) MPa, with lower value for G2% (p < 0.05). PHMGH groups presented no significant difference compared to GCTRL in θ (p > 0.05). G2% showed no difference in SFE compared to GCTRL (p > 0.05). The groups with PHMGH presented antibacterial activity against biofilm and planktonic bacteria, with higher antibacterial activity for higher PHMGH incorporation (p < 0.05). PHMGH provided antibacterial activity for all resin sealant groups and the addition up to 1 wt.% showed reliable physico-chemical properties, maintaining the caries-protective effect of the resin sealant over time.

Halloysite nanotubes loaded with alkyl trimethyl ammonium bromide as antibacterial agent for root canal sealers

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at evaluating the effects of experimental endodontic sealers containing halloysite nanotubes (HNT) doped with alkyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (ATAB).

METHODS

An experimental dual-cure resin sealer was formulated and used as control material. This resin was also filled with ATAB and HNT at different ratios (GATAB:HNT 1:1; 1:2; 2:1) generate three experimental resin sealers. The ATAB:HNT filler was characterized through transmission electron microscopy (TEM). While, the experimental and control sealers were evaluated for degree of conversion, softening ration, radiopacity, flow, film thickness, antibacterial activity for biofilm and planktonic bacteria and cytotoxicity in human pulpal cells.

RESULTS

GATAB:HNT _(1:1) significantly increased the immediate DC (p < 0.05), although no difference was encountered between the groups after 24 h (p > 0.05). All the experimental cements (ATAB/HNT) showed relatively low initial Knoop hardness (p < 0.05), but with no significant reduction (p > 0.05) after storage in ethanol (softening ratio). The radiopacity of all groups achieved at least 3 mm of aluminum. All groups showed more than 17 mm of flow, with a film thickness lower than 50 μm (ISO 6876:2012). All the experimental ATAB:HNT cements showed antibacterial activity against E. faecalis; the higher the ATAB ratio, the greater the antibacterial activity (p < 0.05). Cell viability was higher than 70% with no significant difference between the groups (p > 0.05).

SIGNIFICANCE

The incorporation of ATAB/HNT into the experimental resin sealers induced antibacterial activity against biofilm and planktonic E. faecalis without affecting the pulp cell viability or the chemo-mechanical properties.