Novel Protein-Repellent and Antibacterial Resins and Cements to Inhibit Lesions and Protect Teeth

Li Cao,Yuxing Bai,Junling Wu,Mary Anne S Melo,Ning Zhang,Michael D Weir,Hockin H K Xu,Ghalia Bhadila,Yuncong Li,Bashayer Baras,Qiang Zhang

doi:10.1155/2019/5602904

Abstract

Orthodontic treatment is increasingly popular as people worldwide seek esthetics and better quality of life. In orthodontic treatment, complex appliances and retainers are placed in the patients’ mouths for at least one year, which often lead to biofilm plaque accumulation. This in turn increases the caries-inducing bacteria, decreases the pH of the retained plaque on an enamel surface, and causes white spot lesions (WSLs) in enamel. This article reviews the cutting-edge research on a new class of bioactive and therapeutic dental resins, cements, and adhesives that can inhibit biofilms and protect tooth structures. The novel approaches include the use of protein-repellent and anticaries polymeric dental cements containing 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and dimethylaminododecyl methacrylate (DMAHDM); multifunctional resins that can inhibit enamel demineralization; protein-repellent and self-etching adhesives to greatly reduce oral biofilm growth; and novel polymethyl methacrylate resins to suppress oral biofilms and acid production. These new materials could reduce biofilm attachment, raise local biofilm pH, and facilitate the remineralization to protect the teeth. This novel class of dental resin with dual benefits of antibacterial and protein-repellent capabilities has the potential for a wide range of dental and biomedical applications to inhibit bacterial infection and protect the tissues.

Highlights

Orthodontic treatment is increasingly more popular as it can improve the facial esthetics, reduce the occurrence of dental diseases and injuries, enhance the oral functions, correct malocclusion, and minimize the psychosocial problems associated with poor dental and facial appearance
The first clinical evidence of demineralization in tooth enamel is International Journal of Polymer Science seen as white spot lesions (WSLs), which are defined as the “subsurface enamel porosity from carious demineralization” that presents as “a milky white opacity” [1,2,3, 7,8,9,10]
The incidence of WSLs in fixed orthodontic treatments is as high as 60.9%, and the demineralization can become noticeable around the brackets as early as 4 weeks after the beginning of multibracket appliance treatment [1, 10]

Summary

Introduction

Orthodontic treatment is increasingly more popular as it can improve the facial esthetics, reduce the occurrence of dental diseases and injuries, enhance the oral functions, correct malocclusion, and minimize the psychosocial problems associated with poor dental and facial appearance. With the increase of plaque accumulation, the level of caries-inducing bacteria, especially Streptococcus mutans, is elevated, and the pH of the retained plaque on the enamel surface adjacent to the orthodontic brackets is decreased. This in turn hinders the remineralization process and causes decalcification [2,3,4,5,6]. Several methods were investigated to inhibit WSLs, such as educating and motivating the patient, mechanical plaque control and removal, modifying diet (low carbohydrate), and treating with topical fluoride [9,10,11] These strategies require good long-term patient compliance and are unreliable, especially in children and teenagers [11,12,13]. This article reviews the new generation of nanostructured, bioactive, and therapeutic dental materials with protein-repellent and anticaries properties

Antibacterial and Protein-Repellent Orthodontic Cement to Inhibit WSLs

Multifunctional Cements to Protect Enamel from Demineralization

Bioactive Self-Etch Adhesive to Prevent Enamel Demineralization

Protein-Repellent and Antibacterial PMMA Resin to Suppress Biofilms

Findings

Conclusions