Hypochlorous acid as a potential cavity conditioner for caries-affected dentin.

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Caries Management

Background:

• Caries-affected dentin (CAD) presents challenges for achieving durable adhesive bonds.
• Traditional dentin conditioning methods may not fully address the bacterial challenge in carious lesions.
• The need for effective and biocompatible solutions in restorative dentistry is ongoing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) as a conditioning agent on the bond strength to CAD.
• To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of HOCl against Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans).
• To assess the biocompatibility of HOCl with dental pulp cells.

Main Methods:

• Human molars with caries were pretreated with 50 ppm HOCl before adhesive application.
• Microtensile bond strength (µTBS) was tested after 24-hour storage and 10,000 thermocycles.
• Antibacterial efficacy was assessed via colony-forming unit (CFU) counts, and cell viability was measured using Cell Counting Kit-8.

Main Results:

• HOCl pretreatment significantly enhanced µTBS to CAD, increasing it from 25.6 ± 4.3 to 35.8 ± 7.2 (p < 0.001).
• Bond strength remained stable after thermocycling (32.1 ± 4.5, p > 0.05), indicating durability.
• HOCl demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against S. mutans and maintained dental pulp cell viability across tested concentrations.

Conclusions:

• Hypochlorous acid shows promise as a dentin conditioner for caries-affected dentin.
• HOCl enhances bond performance and durability while providing antibacterial benefits.
• The agent exhibits good biocompatibility with dental pulp cells, suggesting its potential in clinical applications.