2017-08-012024-05-18https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/704556The goals of vital pulp therapy are mainly to treat reversible pulp injury, maintain pulp vitality, and establish a barrier to protect pulp from the invasion of bacteria and toxins. Inducing repair and regeneration process of pulp is the ultimate purpose of vital pulp therapy. This study aims at developing zinc partial stabilized Ca-Si bioceramics carrying growth factors and anti-inflammatory drugs for vital pulp therapy. The release of anti-inflammatory drugs and growth factors is to prevent pulp tissue from undergoing irreversible pulpitis or pulp necrosis. This study is designed as a threeyear program. In the first year, the project focuses on developing proper materials with optimal physical-chemical and mechanical properties. Mixing partial stabilized cements (PSC), the materials previously developed by our research group, with different concentrations of zinc and gamma-PGA hydrogel carrying growth factors and anti-inflammatory drugs will be performed by investigating the changes of physical-chemical and mechanical properties as well as drug release profiles. In the second year, the study aims to investigate the biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of the selected materials in rat dental pulp cells (MRPC-1) and human dental pulp cells. The materials with optimal antiinflammatory effect and mineralization-inducing potential will be used for the third year animal study. In the third year, animal testing (Beagles) will be performed to establish pulpitis animal models. Utilizing histological sections and μ-CT, the tissue morphological change and the efficacy of antibacterial and anti-inflammation of the selected zinc partial stabilized Ca-Si bioceramics with growth factors and anti-inflammatory drugs will be evaluated. Moreover, the mechanisms of dentin-pulp complex regeneration will also be investigated.