Collagen membranes are routinely used in oral surgery for bone regeneration. Despite their numerous advantages, such as stimulating bone growth, bacterial contamination still remains one of the disadvantages of membrane use. Thus, we assessed the biocompatibility and osteogenic and antibacterial properties of a collagen membrane (OsteoBiol) modified with chitosan (CHI) and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HApNPs). Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) were performed for membrane characterization. Biocompatibility was assessed on dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) by an MTT assay, while the osteogenic effect was assessed by an ALP activity assay and qPCR analysis of osteogenic markers (BMP4, ALP, RUNX2, and OCN). Antimicrobial properties were investigated by counting colony-forming units (CFUs) of Streptococcus mitis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Fusobaterium nucleatum on membranes and in the surrounding medium. Membranes showed no cytotoxicity. ALP activity was higher and ALP, BMP4, and OCN genes were up-regulated in DPSCs on modified membranes compared to unmodified membranes. The CFUs were reduced on modified membranes and in the medium. Modified membranes showed great biocompatibility and a high osteoinductive effect. Additionally, they showed antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects against periopathogens. It can be concluded that the incorporation of CHI and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles in collagen membranes may be advantageous to promote osteogenesis and reduce bacterial adhesion.

Introduction. The aim of this study was to investigate the solubility of gutta-percha points and various endodontic sealants in essential oils. Materials and method. Ninety-six gutta-percha points were divided into the four groups of 24 samples for every essential oil and subsequently divided into the three subgroups corresponding to the immersion times (2,10 and 15 min). The post-immersion amount was obtained for each. Endodontic sealers AHplus, Acroseal, Endomethasone N were included in the research. Samples were treated with corresponding oil for 10 min. Each sample was measured and the amount was obtained. Results. Orange oil was the most effective in dissolving gutta-percha compared to other tested essential oils (p < 0.05). Eucalyptol was more effective in dissolving gutta-percha than tea tree after 10 min (p < 0.05). There was no statistical significance in the effectiveness of essential oils in relation to the time of action (10 or 15 minutes) (p > 0.05). Most weight loss was recorded with Endomethasone for all solvents, but the highest in orange oil and tea tree, followed by eucalyptus and clove oil. Tea tree dissolved AH Plus more efficiently compared to Acroseal. Conclusion. Essential oils showed promising results in dissolving gutta-percha and sealers.

?-Tricalcium phosphate/fluorapatite (?-TCP/FAp) mixed powders were prepared in order to obtain dental root canal filling cements. Different liquids for cement pastes have been investigated and the most suitable one for obtaining rheologically optimal pastes was chosen for further analysis. Morphological changes in the cement materials as a consequence of the formation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) after the immersion in a simulated body fluid (SBF), an influence on the cell viability, and final success of the filling were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Treatment of the ?-TCP/FAp mixtures in SBF at 37?C resulted in a complete transformation of ?-TCP into HAp after 10 days, while the exposure of MRC-5 human and L929 animal fibroblast cells to the cement showed complete absence of cytotoxicity. The root canal of an extracted tooth was filled with the ?-TCP/FAp cement containing 5 wt.% of FAp and relatively strong adhesion between the cement and dentine was observed after 48h. The same cement material was immersed during 10 days in SBF and after that both human and animal fibroblast cells during in vitro MTT tests showed higher cell viability compared to the control sample. These findings lead to a conclusion that the ?-TCP/FAp based cement demonstrates potential for further development towards dental cement application.

This study aimed to compare the biological properties of newly synthesized cements based on calcium phosphate with a commercially used cement, mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA). Strontium (Sr)-, Copper (Cu)-, and Zinc (Zn)-doped hydroxyapatite (miHAp) powder was obtained through hydrothermal synthesis and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) was produced by mixing miHAp powder with a 20 wt.% citric acid solution, followed by the assessment of its compressive strength, setting time, and in vitro bioactivity. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) was added to the CPC, resulting in CPCA. Biological tests were conducted on CPC, CPCA, and MTA. The biocompatibility of the cement extracts was evaluated in vitro using human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and in vivo using a zebrafish model. Antibiofilm and antimicrobial effect (quantified by CFUs/mL) were assessed against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. None of the tested materials showed toxicity, while CPCA even increased hDPSCs proliferation. CPCA showed a better safety profile than MTA and CPC, and no toxic or immunomodulatory effects on the zebrafish model. CPCA exhibited similar antibiofilm effects against S. mutans and L. rhamnosus to MTA.