Bioinspired Catecholic Primers for Rigid and Ductile Dental Resin Composites.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Dental Materials Science

Background:

• Surface priming of mineral fillers is crucial for dental restorative polymer composites.
• Improving mechanical performance requires effective surface modification of fillers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate bioinspired catechol-functionalized primers for dental resin composites.
• To enhance the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of glass-filled dental composites.

Main Methods:

• Catechol primers with polymerizable end groups were synthesized and coated on glass fillers.
• Surface binding, cross-linking, and mechanical properties were assessed using AFM, contact angle, knife shear tests, and compression tests.
• Biocompatibility was evaluated via cell attachment assays.

Main Results:

• Catecholic primers demonstrated strong surface binding and effective coupling to the glass substrate.
• Dental resin composites with catecholic-primed fillers showed enhanced mechanical properties, particularly in compression tests.
• The bidentate hydrogen bonding of catechol moieties contributed to improved filler-matrix adhesion.

Conclusions:

• Bioinspired catechol primers offer a promising alternative to traditional silane coupling agents for dental composites.
• These primers improve the mechanical strength and biocompatibility of dental restorative materials.
• The findings support the application of catechol primers in practical dental and biomedical fields.