1. β-pyrophosphate: A potential biomaterial for dental applications.
- Author
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Anastasiou, A.D., Strafford, S., Posada-Estefan, O., Thomson, C.L., Hussain, S.A., Edwards, T.J., Malinowski, M., Hondow, N., Metzger, N.K., Brown, C.T.A., Routledge, M.N., Brown, A.P., Duggal, M.S., and Jha, A.
- Subjects
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PYROPHOSPHATES , *BIOMATERIALS , *DENTISTRY , *DENTAL fillings , *DOPING agents (Chemistry) , *IRON , *THERAPEUTICS - Abstract
Tooth hypersensitivity is a growing problem affecting both the young and ageing population worldwide. Since an effective and permanent solution is not yet available, we propose a new methodology for the restoration of dental enamel using femtosecond lasers and novel calcium phosphate biomaterials. During this procedure the irradiated mineral transforms into a densified layer of acid resistant iron doped β-pyrophosphate, bonded with the surface of eroded enamel. Our aim therefore is to evaluate this densified mineral as a potential replacement material for dental hard tissue. To this end, we have tested the hardness of β-pyrophosphate pellets (sintered at 1000 °C) and its mineral precursor (brushite), the wear rate during simulated tooth-brushing trials and the cytocompatibility of these minerals in powder form. It was found that the hardness of the β-pyrophosphate pellets is comparable with that of dental enamel and significantly higher than dentine while, the brushing trials prove that the wear rate of β-pyrophosphate is much slower than that of natural enamel. Finally, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity tests suggest that iron doped β-pyrophosphate is cytocompatible and therefore could be used in dental applications. Taken together and with the previously reported results on laser irradiation of these materials we conclude that iron doped β-pyrophosphate may be a promising material for restoring acid eroded and worn enamel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
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