Polyphenols in Dental Applications

Abstract

<jats:p>(1) Background: polyphenols are a broad class of molecules extracted from plants and have a large repertoire of biological activities. Biomimetic inspiration from the effects of tea or red wine on the surface of cups or glass lead to the emergence of versatile surface chemistry with polyphenols. Owing to their hydrogen bonding abilities, coordination chemistry with metallic cations and redox properties, polyphenols are able to interact, covalently or not, with a large repertoire of chemical moieties, and can hence be used to modify the surface chemistry of almost all classes of materials. (2) Methods: the use of polyphenols to modify the surface properties of dental materials, mostly enamel and dentin, to afford them with better adhesion to resins and improved biological properties, such as antimicrobial activity, started more than 20 years ago, but no general overview has been written to our knowledge. (3) Results: the present review is aimed to show that molecules from all the major classes of polyphenolics allow for low coast improvements of dental materials and engineering of dental tissues.</jats:p>

Antibacterial and Bonding Properties of Universal Adhesive Dental Polymers Doped with Pyrogallol

“…The incorporation of PY into universal adhesives may influence their bonding performance to dentin and ameliorate the antibacterial effects against cariogenic species, such as S. mutans . An ideal restorative material should possess some antibacterial properties, along with good mechanical properties and bonding stability over time [ 1 , 21 , 36 ]. Unfortunately, the resin adhesive systems that are currently available on the market do not completely fulfill all these requirements.…”

“…However, the bond strength and stability of resin adhesives bonded to dental tissues are important aspects to attain optimal dental restorations in an oral cavity [ 1 , 3 , 5 , 21 ]. Indeed, several studies [ 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ] reported a severe degradation of the polymer–dentin interface over time due to a synergic hydrolytic degradation of the polymer matrix within the hybrid layer and to the enzymatic degradation of poorly infiltrated demineralized dentin collagen fibrils through activated host metalloproteinases (MMPs) and cysteine-cathepsins (CTs).…”

“…In general, the greater the overall quality of the hybrid layer, the better the longevity of the polymer–dentin bond strength [ 20 ]. Since higher mechanical properties and lower bacterial colonization are desired, the use of antibacterial agents in adhesive procedures has gained interest [ 21 , 22 ]. They are successful in protecting the tooth–adhesive interface from microleakage, while providing eradication of residual bacteria in the oral cavity [ 23 ].…”

“…Polyphenols play an interesting role in the oral cavity against many diseases, and they are used in many dental applications [ 21 , 25 ]. Pyrogallol ( Figure 1 c), previously known as “vegetable tannin,” is a ubiquitous phenolic moiety that is present in flavonoids and polyphenols in a variety of edible plants, such as cacao, nuts, vegetables, and fruit peels [ 26 ].…”

Self-Healable Biocomposites Crosslinked with a Combination of Silica and Quercetin

“…Because of the good adhesive properties of ENR-50 and oral cavity-safe ingredients [ 32 , 33 , 34 ], such composites have the potential to be dedicated to self-healing long-term soft denture lining materials production [ 35 ]. However, more advanced, especially from the medical point of view, studies must be carried out in the future to confirm our presumptions.…”