IADR Abstract Archives
Hierarchical Biomineralization for Hard Tissue Regeneration
Objectives: A major goal in dental materials science is to develop biomimetic functional materials that can offer precise control of building blocks across multiple length-scales towards dental hard tissue regeneration.
Methods: Elastin-like polymers (ELPs) were characterized by circular dichroism and dynamic light scattering to assess their secondary structure, charge, and hydrodynamic radius. The ELP solution was crosslinked to form thin films, which then were mineralized at physiological conditions. We used a comprehensive suite of advanced multi-scale imaging techniques including TEM, FIB-SEM, and FEGSEM to investigate the mechanism of mineralization and its relation to the distinctive structure at multiple length-scales ranging from crystallographic, to nano-, to micro, and up to the macro-scale.
Results: Here we report a novel biomineralization system based on a tuneable organic-inorganic bulk environment that controllably nucleates and grows hierarchically-ordered apatite structures as coatings or membranes with remarkable multi-scale organization. The structures exhibit elongated apatite nanocrystals of about 85±22 nm in cross-section that are aligned and organized into approximately 3.8±0.9 μm thick prisms that resemble those found in human dental enamel (Fig. 1). These prisms assemble further into hierarchical structures hundreds of microns in diameter that come together to fill macroscopic areas. The hierarchical structures can be grown as thin mineralized coatings over irregular rough surfaces. The potential of the system towards dental applications has been investigated by growing the hierarchical apatite structures as conforming acid resistant coatings that can conform to dentine while blocking the dentinal tubules. These results demonstrate the potential applicability in early treatment of dental caries, erosion, and dentine hypersensitivity.
Conclusions: We report on the discovery of a distinctive physicochemical environment, comprising a tuneable organic matrix with specific molecular composition, conformation, and physical conditions, which promote nucleation and hierarchical growth of apatite structures resembling those found in human dental enamel. The system has a potential for dental applications.
Methods: Elastin-like polymers (ELPs) were characterized by circular dichroism and dynamic light scattering to assess their secondary structure, charge, and hydrodynamic radius. The ELP solution was crosslinked to form thin films, which then were mineralized at physiological conditions. We used a comprehensive suite of advanced multi-scale imaging techniques including TEM, FIB-SEM, and FEGSEM to investigate the mechanism of mineralization and its relation to the distinctive structure at multiple length-scales ranging from crystallographic, to nano-, to micro, and up to the macro-scale.
Results: Here we report a novel biomineralization system based on a tuneable organic-inorganic bulk environment that controllably nucleates and grows hierarchically-ordered apatite structures as coatings or membranes with remarkable multi-scale organization. The structures exhibit elongated apatite nanocrystals of about 85±22 nm in cross-section that are aligned and organized into approximately 3.8±0.9 μm thick prisms that resemble those found in human dental enamel (Fig. 1). These prisms assemble further into hierarchical structures hundreds of microns in diameter that come together to fill macroscopic areas. The hierarchical structures can be grown as thin mineralized coatings over irregular rough surfaces. The potential of the system towards dental applications has been investigated by growing the hierarchical apatite structures as conforming acid resistant coatings that can conform to dentine while blocking the dentinal tubules. These results demonstrate the potential applicability in early treatment of dental caries, erosion, and dentine hypersensitivity.
Conclusions: We report on the discovery of a distinctive physicochemical environment, comprising a tuneable organic matrix with specific molecular composition, conformation, and physical conditions, which promote nucleation and hierarchical growth of apatite structures resembling those found in human dental enamel. The system has a potential for dental applications.
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