Characteristics of novel, reactive calcium phosphate and polylysine containing dental composites

Plos One

With the phase out of amalgam fillings, there is a growing need for more effective fillings for caries affected teeth in children. This study is part of on-going work to optimise formulations that will be able to be placed directly onto disease affected dental caries without anaesthetic, drilling or the complex bonding steps currently required with conventional tooth-coloured composite fillings.

This is achieved through the addition of reactive calcium phosphates and polylysine into modified composite formulations. Furthermore, these added components have the potential to prevent recurrent disease beneath a restoration which is the most cause of composite restoration failure

In the described work the composite employed has been modified to improve setting characteristics and volumetric stability upon blue light exposure and, in addition, reduce toxicity to human cells. This paper confirms that setting, dimensional stability, mechanical and wear properties of two new formulations with added active ingredients are competitive or improved when compared with commercial dental composites.

Furthermore, it was shown that enhanced levels of reactive calcium phosphate and polylysine promote surface precipitation of tooth minerals. These minerals have the potential to reduce roughness upon wear and help to seal the restoration / tooth interface. The latter feature would prevent ingress of further bacteria and continuing disease beneath a restoration.

Further work has enabled optimisation of the above formulations, demonstrated their excellent biocompatibility and confirmed their ability to bond and integrate directly to caries affected dentine. Currently, testing of commercially manufactured formulations is underway and paperwork for CE mark and clinical trials is being prepared.

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