Pulpal Biocompatibility of Novamin

Objectives: Hypersensitivity treatments show variable efficacy, however Novamin, chemical name calcium sodium phosphosilicate (CSPS), has shown itself to be effective in tubule occlusion. Opportunities for direct cellular contact after application to dentinal tubules require that occlusion agents are biocompatible. Thus, the aim of the present study was to assess the biocompatibility of CSPS with pulp cells. Methods: CSPS was incubated in DMEM cell culture medium, for 24 hours at 37oC, at a range of concentrations prior to filtration, via a 0.2 µM sterile filter (Conditioned Medium). Dose-response (0 – 2 mg/ml) and time-dependency (0 – 72 hours) effects of the conditioned medium were investigated in the murine pulp-derived OD-21 cell line, with quantification of cell numbers by counting with a haemocytometer slide. Morphological appearance of the cultured cells was examined by light microscopy. Results: The effects of CSPS-conditioned medium on OD-21 cells were both dose and time-dependent with increasing cell numbers observed as dose and culture time increased. Cell proliferation significantly (p < 0.05 Student's t-test) increased with exposure to 1 and 2mg/ml of conditioned medium at each time point, relative to their controls. Conclusions: We conclude that CSPS shows good biocompatibility with pulp cells and the stimulatory effects on cell proliferation, which have also been observed in osteoblasts, highlight the potential of this material for use in tissue regeneration applications.