Takashi Komabayashi1, Aniket Wadajkar2, Sonia Santimano2, Chul Ahn3, Qiang Zhu4, Lynn A Opperman5, Larry L Bellinger5, Jian Yang2, Kytai T Nguyen2. 1. Department of Endodontics, West Virginia University School of Dentistry, Morgantown, WV, USA. 2. Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas, Arlington, TX, USA. 3. Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. 4. Division of Endodontology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA. 5. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX, USA.
Abstract
AIM: Direct pulp capping is the treatment of an exposed vital pulp with a dental material to facilitate the formation of reparative dentin and maintenance of vital pulp. A bioengineered drug delivery vehicle has the potential to increase the success rate of pulp capping. The aim of this study was to develop an injectable and light-curing drug delivery vehicle for endodontic treatment including direct pulp capping. METHODS: Polyethylene glycol-maleate-citrate (PEGMC) hydrogel was synthesized as a drug delivery vehicle that is composed of PEGMC (45% w/v), acrylic acid (AA) (5% w/v), 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH) (0.1% w/v), and deionized water. The association between prehydrogel-solution volume and visible light-curing was examined. The cytotoxicity of the hydrogel was tested using L929 cells in a cell culture system. Ca(2+) release from the hydrogel was determined using calcium hydroxide as the incorporated medicine. RESULTS: The results showed that the light-curing time for hydrogel is comparable to composite resin. The hydrogel had cell toxicity similar to adhesive systems. Moreover, controlled Ca(2+) release was obtained from the calcium hydroxide incorporated hydrogel. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that hydrogel should be explored further as a promising drug delivery vehicle for vital pulp therapy and regenerative endodontics.
AIM: Direct pulp capping is the treatment of an exposed vital pulp with a dental material to facilitate the formation of reparative dentin and maintenance of vital pulp. A bioengineered drug delivery vehicle has the potential to increase the success rate of pulp capping. The aim of this study was to develop an injectable and light-curing drug delivery vehicle for endodontic treatment including direct pulp capping. METHODS:Polyethylene glycol-maleate-citrate (PEGMC) hydrogel was synthesized as a drug delivery vehicle that is composed of PEGMC (45% w/v), acrylic acid (AA) (5% w/v), 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH) (0.1% w/v), and deionized water. The association between prehydrogel-solution volume and visible light-curing was examined. The cytotoxicity of the hydrogel was tested using L929 cells in a cell culture system. Ca(2+) release from the hydrogel was determined using calcium hydroxide as the incorporated medicine. RESULTS: The results showed that the light-curing time for hydrogel is comparable to composite resin. The hydrogel had cell toxicity similar to adhesive systems. Moreover, controlled Ca(2+) release was obtained from the calcium hydroxide incorporated hydrogel. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that hydrogel should be explored further as a promising drug delivery vehicle for vital pulp therapy and regenerative endodontics.