Acidic Monetite Complex Paste with Bleaching Property for In-depth Occlusion of Dentinal Tubules

BACKGROUND: Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is a common dental clinical condition presented with a short and sharp pain in response to physical and chemical stimuli. Currently no treatment regimen demonstrates long-lasting efficacy in treating DH, and unesthetic yellow tooth color is a concern to many patients with DH. AIM: To develop a bi-functional material which can occlude dentinal tubules in-depth and remineralize dentin for long-lasting protection of the dentin–pulp complex from stimuli and bleach the tooth at the same time. METHODS: A mixture containing CaO, H(3)PO(4), polyethylene glycol and H(2)O(2) at a specific ratio was mechanically ground using a planetary ball. The mineralizing complex paste was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Dentin was exposed to the synthesized paste for 8 h and 24 h in vitro. The mineralizing property was evaluated using SEM and microhardness tests. Red tea-stained tooth slices were exposed to the synthesized paste for 8 h and 24 h in vitro. The bleaching effect was characterized by a spectrophotometer. RESULTS: The complex paste had very a fine texture, was injectable, and had a gel-like property with 2.6 (mass/volume) % H(2)O(2) concentration. The X-ray diffraction pattern showed that the inorganic phase was mainly monetite (CaHPO(4)). The mineralizing complex paste induced the growth of inorganic crystals on the dentin surface and in-depth occlusion of dentin tubules by up to 80 μm. The regenerated crystals were integrated into the dentin tissue on the dentin surface and the wall of dentinal tubules with a microhardness of up to 126 MPa (versus 137 Mpa for dentin). The paste also bleached the stained dental slices. CONCLUSION: The mineralizing complex paste is a promising innovative material for efficient DH management by remineralizing dentin and in-depth occlusion of dentin tubules, as well as tooth bleaching.