Bolin Li,1 Chunyan Liu,2,3 Ze-hui Fang,4 Ying Cao,4 Zheng Zhou,3 Haiyan Lu2 1Hebei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Orthodontics, Hebei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Dentistry, University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, Michigan 48208, USA; 4School & Hospital of Stomatology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zheng ZhouSchool of Dentistry, University of Detroit Mercy, 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Detroit, Michigan 48208, USATel +1-313-494-6667Fax +1-313-494-6666Email zhouzh1@udmercy.eduHaiyan LuDepartment of Orthodontics, Hebei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Hebei Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Hebei Medical University, 383 Zhongshan East Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050017, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax +86 311-86265748Email luhaiyan67@163.comBackground: 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, H3PO4, polyethylene glycol and H2O2 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) % H2O2 concentration. The X-ray diffraction pattern showed that the inorganic phase was mainly monetite (CaHPO4). 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.Keywords: dentin hypersensitivity, remineralization, tooth whitening, planetary ball mill
