Sealing Ability of Nano-fast Cement vs. Mineral Trioxide Aggregate as Retrograde Apical Plugs: An In-vitro Microleakage Study

Introduction: Apical surgery aims to eradicate the apical part of the root and the lesion to enhance the healing. The sealing ability of retrograde filling material is an essential factor affecting the success rate of the surgery. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is the gold standard of retrograde filling materials, with approved sealing capability and biocompatibility. Newly introduced root repair material with an approved antibacterial effect similar to MTA is Nano-fast cement (NFC) which should be investigated for its sealing ability. This study aimed to evaluate the sealing ability of NFC vs. MTA. Materials and Methods: Root apices of 48 single-rooted teeth were resected at 90 degrees and were prepared at 3 mm depth. The teeth were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups (n=21), negative control group (n=3), and positive control group (n= 3). MTA and NFC plugs were condensed as retrograde filling material.  The samples were evaluated by a modified fluid filtration device for 1 hour. The measurement was conducted at 24 h, 1, and 3 months. Data were analyzed by Friedman Test and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: According to the results, NFC at 3-months interval showed the least microleakage, and MTA had the highest at the baseline. However, the results between the two groups were not statistically significant in all intervals. NFC reached the ideal sealing ability within 1 month, which was reached for MTA after 3 months. Conclusions: The results of this in vitro study showed that the microleakage value of NFC is comparable to MTA. In light of current findings, NFC shows characteristics of a suitable calcium silicate-based cement. Further clinical researches are needed to introduce the NFC as retrograde apical plug or for other endodontic applications

A Histological Comparison of a New Pulp Capping Material and Mineral Trioxide Aggregate in Rat Molars

Introduction: Recent investigations have attempted to improve regenerative endodontics with the help of stem cell therapy. In vitro studies have shown the ability of different agents to stimulate the differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) into odontoblast-like cells. A combination of dexamethasone, β-glycerophosphate and Vitamin D has been proven to induce a successful differentiation. The aim of this animal study was to evaluate the effect of this combination, named odontoblastic differentiating material (ODM), on pulp tissue when used as a capping material. Materials and Methods: Sixty maxillary right and left molars of 30 Sprague-dawley rats were selected for this study. The teeth were exposed under sterile condition. Half of the teeth were capped with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and the other half with ODM. All cavities were restored with glass ionomer. The rats were sacrificed at post-operative intervals of 2 weeks and 2 months. Samples were histologically evaluated for the degree of inflammation and reparative dentin formation. Finally the data was analyzed with Mann-Whitney and Chi-Square tests. Results: Reparative dentin formed in all groups within both time periods and there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in the mentioned time periods. The MTA group, however, showed a statistically significant reduction in inflammation at both time intervals (P<0.05). Compared to MTA, ODM samples showed a greater amount of inflammation in the pulp tissue. Conclusion: ODM, as a pulp capping material, can induce dentinal bridge formation

Renewable Carbon Nanomaterials: Novel Resources for Dental Tissue Engineering

Dental tissue engineering (TE) is undergoing significant modifications in dental treatments. TE is based on a triad of stem cells, signaling molecules, and scaffolds that must be understood and calibrated with particular attention to specific dental sectors. Renewable and eco-friendly carbon-based nanomaterials (CBMs), including graphene (G), graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), graphene quantum dots (GQD), carbon nanotube (CNT), MXenes and carbide, have extraordinary physical, chemical, and biological properties. In addition to having high surface area and mechanical strength, CBMs have greatly influenced dental and biomedical applications. The current study aims to explore the application of CBMs for dental tissue engineering. CBMs are generally shown to have remarkable properties, due to various functional groups that make them ideal materials for biomedical applications, such as dental tissue engineering.Applied Science, Faculty ofNon UBCEngineering, School of (Okanagan)ReviewedFacultyResearche

Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects of Graphene Oxide @AlFu MOF Based Saponin Natural Product on OSCC Line

The increasing rate of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and the undesirable side effects of anticancer agents have enhanced the demand for the development of efficient, detectable, and targeted anticancer systems. Saponins are a diverse family of natural glycosides that have recently been evaluated as an effective compound for the targeted therapy of squamous cell carcinoma. Due to their porous nature and stable structure, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a well-known substance form for various biological applications, such as drug delivery. In this study, we fabricated a novel hybrid, highly porous and low-toxic saponin-loaded nanostructure by modifying graphene oxide (GO)/reduced GO (rGO) with aluminum fumarate (AlFu) as MOF core–shell nanocomposite. The characterization of the nanostructures was investigated by FTIR, TEM, EDX, FESEM, and BET. MTT assay was used to investigate the anticancer activity of these compounds on OSCC and PDL normal dental cells. The effect of the nanocomposites on OSCC was then investigated by studying apoptosis and necrosis using flow cytometry. The GO/rGO was decorated with a saponin–AlFu mixture to further investigate cytotoxicity. The results of the MTT assay showed that PDL cells treated with AlFu–GO–saponin at a concentration of 250 μg/mL had a viability of 74.46 ± 16.02%, while OSCC cells treated with this sample at a similar concentration had a viability of only 38.35 ± 19.9%. The anticancer effect of this nanostructure on OSCC was clearly demonstrated. Moreover, the number of apoptotic cells in the AlFu–GO–saponin and AlFu–rGO–saponin groups was 10.98 ± 2.36%–26.90 ± 3.24% and 15.9 ± 4.08%–29.88 ± 0.41%, respectively, compared with 2.52 ± 0.78%–1.31 ± 0.62% in the untreated group. This significant increase in apoptotic effect observed with AlFu–rGO–saponin was also reflected in the significant anticancer effect of saponin-loaded nanostructures. Therefore, this study suggests that an effective saponin delivery system protocol for the precise design and fabrication of anticancer nanostructures for OSCC therapy should be performed prior to in vivo evaluations