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Published on: December 1, 2014
Does saliva contamination interfere or stimulate regenerative processes applying current biomaterials on oral
Marcel F Kunrath1, Christer Dahlin2
1Department of Biomaterials, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, PO Box 412, SE 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden; Department of Dentistry, School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil. marcel.kunrath@biomaterials.gu.se.
Abstract:
Innovative dental biomaterials have been developed in order to stimulate higher biocompatibility and faster healing times using responsive surfaces for regenerative procedures. However, saliva is one of the fluids to interact with these biomaterials in the first instance. Studies have revealed significant negative effects on the biomaterials' properties, biocompatibility and bacterial colonisation after saliva contact. Nevertheless, the current literature is unclear about the profound effects of saliva on regenerative procedures. The scientific community urges further detailed studies associating innovative biomaterials/saliva/microbiology/immunology in order to clarify clinical outcomes. This paper discusses and provides information about the challenges of research using human saliva, the lack of standardisation in protocols applying saliva, and tentative applications of saliva proteins associated with innovative dental biomaterials.
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