Rapidly curing chitosan calcium phosphate composites as dental pulp capping agents

Abstract

Dental caries affect over 90% of the population worldwide. Left untreated, these infections can result in tooth loss, gum disease, and in extreme cases sepsis-related fatalities. Early stage caries with erosion of enamel and dentin hard tissues are treated by removal of the infected region followed by restoration of tooth function with placement of permanent metal amalgams or composite fillings. For the duration of the patient’s lifetime, the fillings require consistent maintenance and are at high risk for the formation of secondary caries which would require additional corrective procedures. With increased severity of a cavity, there is an increased risk of infection of the dental pulp, which often results in the need for a root canal. Thus, there is a need to develop a pulp capping material that can both provide protection for the pulp and an environment to stimulate the repair of damaged dental tissue. Previously, we investigated the ability of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) to form a composite hydrogel by diglycidyl crosslinking with the presence of calcium phosphate whiskers. More recently we have been interested in how changing the size, shape and morphology of the calcium phosphate will affect the compressive modulus, cell proliferation, controlled release of drug, and cell differentiation.