Biomimetic Enamel Remineralization: A Comparative in vitro Study of Self-Assembling Peptide, Fluoride Varnish, and their Combination at Different Times by Surface Roughness Test

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of self-assembling peptide, fluoride varnish, and their combination to remineralize the artificial carious lesion in vitro. Materials and methods: Sixty extracted sound premolars were randomly divided into four groups. The artificial carious lesion was created by immersion the specimens in the demineralizing solution. The enamel surface was treated with: Group1: (n=15) artificial saliva alone, group2: (n=15) fluoride varnish, group3: (n=15) self-assembling peptide, group4: (n=15) self-assembling peptide + fluoride varnish. The enamel surface was assessed by a profilometer at the baseline, after demineralization, 1-week, and 4-weeks after remineralization. Results: all four groups exhibited high statistically significant differences between the different times of test periods, In 1 and 4 weeks after remineralization, the least surface roughness mean value was seen in the self-assembling peptide + fluoride varnish group followed by self-assembling peptide group then fluoride varnish group while the artificial saliva showed the greatest surface roughness mean value with a highly statistically significant difference between groups. Conclusions: self-assembling peptide superior to fluoride varnish in remineralization ability and this potential is boosted when they combined together.