IADR Abstract Archives
A Novel method for simultaneous caries removal and remineralisation of dentine
Objectives: The objective of this research is to develop a method for the selective removal of caries dentine, with simultaneous deposition of bioactive glass for the promotion of remineralisation in the remaining hard tissues. Successful application of such a method may lead to improved manageability and long term healing of caries affected teeth, minimising the cutting of demineralised but uninfected dentine.
Methods: Polymers were chosen based on their microhardness, biocompatibility and ability to incorporate bioactive glass particles. Preliminary dentine cutting tools were fabricated by extruding the polymer/bioactive glass mixture followed by cutting to length and introducing a cutting edge. Knoop hardness tests were carried out before testing the cutting ability on reference materials and caries dentine, as well as artificially created lesions.
Results: Polysulfone with a bioactive glass content varying from 10 – 30% was established to have suitable properties for selective removal of caries dentine whilst not effecting sound dentine. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to demonstrate the deposition of the bioactive glass particles on the sound dentine.
Conclusions: Selective removal of caries dentine was achieved using a preliminary cutting tool consisting of extruded polysulfone with bioactive glass particles incorporated. Initial tests on reference materials were used as proof of concept, followed by tests on sound and caries dentine. Further to this, EDX SEM was used to investigate the transfer of the bioactive glass particles from the polymer to the sound dentine. Establishing such a method for selective caries removal, combined with remineralisation of the hard tissues could lead to better healing prospects of deep caries lesions as well as to more conservative treatments, reducing the removal of remineralisable dentine.
Methods: Polymers were chosen based on their microhardness, biocompatibility and ability to incorporate bioactive glass particles. Preliminary dentine cutting tools were fabricated by extruding the polymer/bioactive glass mixture followed by cutting to length and introducing a cutting edge. Knoop hardness tests were carried out before testing the cutting ability on reference materials and caries dentine, as well as artificially created lesions.
Results: Polysulfone with a bioactive glass content varying from 10 – 30% was established to have suitable properties for selective removal of caries dentine whilst not effecting sound dentine. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to demonstrate the deposition of the bioactive glass particles on the sound dentine.
Conclusions: Selective removal of caries dentine was achieved using a preliminary cutting tool consisting of extruded polysulfone with bioactive glass particles incorporated. Initial tests on reference materials were used as proof of concept, followed by tests on sound and caries dentine. Further to this, EDX SEM was used to investigate the transfer of the bioactive glass particles from the polymer to the sound dentine. Establishing such a method for selective caries removal, combined with remineralisation of the hard tissues could lead to better healing prospects of deep caries lesions as well as to more conservative treatments, reducing the removal of remineralisable dentine.