Calcium sustained release, pH changes and cell viability induced by chitosan-based pastes for apexification

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dental Regenerative Medicine
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Apexification is a regenerative endodontic procedure to induce root maturation.
• Sustained release of calcium ions and appropriate pH are crucial for successful apexification.
• Chitosan offers a biocompatible scaffold for controlled drug delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To formulate and evaluate chitosan-based pastes for sustained release of calcium hydroxide (CH) or calcium chloride (CC).
• To assess the in vitro release kinetics of Ca2+ and pH changes.
• To determine the cytocompatibility of these pastes with human dental pulp cells.

Main Methods:

• Chitosan pastes were prepared using 1% or 2% acetic acid (AAC) with CH or CC.
• Sustained release of Ca2+ and pH were monitored in deionized water over 50 days.
• Cell viability was assessed using the MTS assay on human dental pulp cells.

Main Results:

• Chitosan-CH pastes released 74.9-76.1% of Ca2+; chitosan-CC pastes released 76.6-90.8%.
• CH-loaded pastes initially induced alkaline pH, neutralizing over time; CC-loaded pastes showed neutral to acidic pH.
• All tested pastes demonstrated no adverse effects on human dental pulp cell viability.

Conclusions:

• Chitosan-based pastes exhibit suitable sustained release profiles for calcium ions.
• The formulated pastes are cytocompatible, indicating potential for use in apexification.
• Further in vivo studies are warranted to confirm efficacy in regenerative endodontics.