Cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties of capping materials

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dental Materials Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Pulp capping aims to preserve dental pulp vitality.
• Selecting appropriate capping materials is crucial for treatment success.
• Antimicrobial activity and cytocompatibility are key material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the antimicrobial activity and cytocompatibility of six pulp-capping materials.
• To assess the in vitro antibacterial effects against common oral streptococci.
• To determine the cytotoxicity of these materials on rat dental pulp cells.

Main Methods:

• Agar disc diffusion test for antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus salivarius, and Streptococcus sanguis.
• MTT and apoptosis assays for cytocompatibility evaluation on MDPC-23 cells at different time points.
• Comparison of Dycal, Calcicur, Calcimol LC, TheraCal LC, MTA Angelus, and Biodentine.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in both antimicrobial activity and cytocompatibility were observed among the tested materials.
• MTA-based materials (MTA Angelus, Biodentine) exhibited lower cytotoxicity and valuable antibacterial activity.
• Calcium hydroxide-based materials demonstrated higher antibacterial activity but also higher cytotoxicity.

Conclusions:

• Material composition significantly influences both antibacterial efficacy and cellular response.
• MTA-based materials present a favorable profile for pulp capping due to balanced antimicrobial and cytocompatibility properties.
• Calcium hydroxide materials require careful consideration due to their higher cytotoxicity despite potent antibacterial effects.