Synthesis and Characterization of Zn-modified ACP and Preliminary Evaluation of Zn-ACP Based Polymeric Composites

摘要

A variety of calcium phosphate (CaP)-containing dental materials have been studied based primarily on the compositional similarity of CaPs to tooth mineral. Among them, amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP)-based materials are particularly attractive due to ACP's metastability in aqueous solutions (1). When embedded in polymerized resins and exposed to simulated oral conditions, these composites release mineral ions in a sustained manner (2) and successfully regenerate lost tooth mineral (3). For the last 12 years our group has systematically investigated structure-composition-property relationships in ACP/methacrylate composites. The ultimate goal was to create bioactive materials that adhere well to enamel and dentin, protect teeth from demineralization and even promote remineralization. Besides practical applications (designing remineralizing ACP sealant, orthodontic adhesive and endodontic composite), our studies have also contributed to a better understanding of polymeric ACP composites and ACP composite/tooth interfacial phenomena and cellular responses to these materials. Multiple studies of other researchers have demonstrated clear links between the levels of free Ca and PO4 ions in culture media and early bone formation in vitro and in vivo (4-6). Generally excellent biocompatibility, possible osteoinductivity, and affinity for proteins and cells make ACP potentially attractive for tissue engineering applications (1, 7). Significantly, incorporation of Zn in bioceramics not only promoted osteoblast attachment and proliferation (8, 9) but also yielded materials with cytoprotective properties (10, 11).