Polydopamine-Based Biomaterials in Oral Medicine: Applications, Mechanisms, and Translational Challenges

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Oral Medicine
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Polydopamine (PDA) is a mussel-inspired polymer with universal adhesion, biocompatibility, and tunable properties.
• Its applications in oral medicine are expanding due to its versatility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in polydopamine-based materials for oral medicine.
• To discuss their applications, limitations, and future translational prospects.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent scientific literature on polydopamine in oral medicine.
• Analysis of PDA preparation methods (oxidative, electrochemical, enzymatic).
• Evaluation of PDA applications in hard and soft tissue repair, drug delivery, sensing, and therapy.

Main Results:

• PDA enhances oral hard tissues (implants, scaffolds) and soft tissues (wound healing).
• PDA serves as a platform for drug delivery, antibacterial systems, and oral tumor therapy.
• PDA-based sensors show potential for salivary biomarker detection and disease diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• PDA offers significant potential in various oral medicine fields.
• Key challenges include understanding polymerization, long-term stability, biosafety, and clinical validation.
• Future research should focus on standardization, preclinical validation, and clinical translation.