Bioactive Glass-Based Endodontic Sealer as a Promising Root Canal Filling Material without Semisolid Core Materials

Abstract

Endodontic treatment for a tooth with damaged dental pulp aims to both prevent and cure apical periodontitis. If the tooth is re-infected as a result of a poorly obturated root canal, periapical periodontitis may set-in due to invading bacteria. To both avoid any re-infection and improve the success rate of endodontic retreatment, a treated root canal should be three-dimensionally obturated with a biocompatible filling material. Recently, bioactive glass, one of the bioceramics, is focused on the research area of biocompatible biomaterials for endodontics. Root canal sealers derived from bioactive glass-based have been developed and applied in clinical endodontic treatments. However, at present, there is little evidence about the patient outcomes, sealing mechanism, sealing ability, and removability of the sealers. Herein, we have developed a bioactive glass-based root canal sealer and provided evidence concerning its physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, sealing ability, and removability. We also review the classification of bioceramics and characteristics of bioactive glass. Additionally, we describe the application of bioactive glass to facilitate the development of a new root canal sealer. Furthermore, this review shows the potential application of bioactive glass-based cement as a root canal filling material in the absence of semisolid core material.

Physical Properties and Biofunctionalities of Bioactive Root Canal Sealers In Vitro

“…Calcium silicate-based sealers, including more reactive calcium-silicate-based bioactive glass, known as bioactive root canal sealers, have been recently introduced [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. Bioactive glass has been mainly used for dental hard tissue regeneration; however, it has also recently shown promise for the repair of several complex tissues [ 33 ].…”

Evaluation of Carbon Dioxide-Based Urethane Acrylate Composites for Sealers of Root Canal Obturation

“…Many studies have suggested that the conventional root canal sealers are easily dissolved [6] and have no dentinal adhesion [7]. Recently, bioceramics such as tricalcium silicate-, dicalcium silicate-, calcium phosphates-, colloidal silica-, or calcium hydroxide-based root canal sealers were developed [8,9]. The moisture within the dentinal tubules was utilized to solidify the calcium silicate hydrate phase [10].…”

“…The antibacterial test was carried out by the following steps. First, colonies were added into 5 mL HBI broth, cultivated at 37 °C for 16-18 h. The medium of bacteria fluid of lysogeny broth (LB) was replaced by phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) by using the centrifugation for three times (8,000 xg, 3 min), and diluted to the concentration of 10 −5 -10 −7 (CFU/mL). Subsequently, the as-prepared suspension was spread onto the BHI agar plates (10 μL) and incubated cells at 37 °C for 16-18 h. The 0.5 McFarland (10 8 CFU/mL) bacterial fluid was produced by using E. faecalis (ATCC 29212).…”

Biological Properties of Experimental Methacrylate-Based Sealers Containing Calcium Phosphates

“…Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is a more stable calcium phosphate with low solubility, being used as filler for composite resins, adhesive systems, and root canal sealers (4,5,6). Studies evaluating experimental endodontic sealers with HAp demonstrated biocompatibility in the animal model (7), presented bioactivity in vitro (8,9,10,11), and showed appropriate physicochemical properties as setting time, flow, solubility, microhardness, and bond strength (8,9,10,11).…”