Bioactive Dental Materials

Dear Colleagues,

Regardless of the type or extent of dental treatment, its success critically depends on the properties of materials used for the reconstruction of damaged or lost tissues. Although contemporary dental materials perform reasonably well, considerable research efforts are still being invested in overcoming particular material shortcomings which negatively affect the success and long-term prognosis of the treatment.

Bioactivity, broadly defined as the ability of materials to interact with living tissues, is an interesting property that can be used to improve outcomes of various dental treatments. While for some dental procedures the bioactivity of reconstructive materials is a necessary prerequisite (e.g., bone implants), other procedures (e.g., dental restorations) still mainly rely on bioinert materials and have only recently been benefiting from materials interacting with living tissues. Such a shift from bioinert to bioactive materials aims to render restorations made from an alloplastic material more similar to natural tissues. The compositional and structural similarity of bioactive materials to living tissue allows for better integration into the surrounding biological environment while causing fewer undesired reactions.

Various bioactive materials are being investigated for use in a wide range of dental fields. Periodontics has been successfully using bioactive bone grafting materials for more than three decades. Bone grafts, as well as resorptive osteoinductive scaffolds, are being investigated for reconstructions of large bone defects in maxillofacial surgery. In restorative and preventive dentistry, the need for re-treatment due to secondary caries can be reduced by using bioactive materials capable of remineralizing dental hard tissues, sealing the marginal gap, and inhibiting bacterial growth. Furthermore, the interface between resin-based composites and dentin can be strengthened by adhesive systems able to remineralize the collagenous network within the hybrid layer. The adhesion of endodontic fillings to root canal walls can be improved by bioactive materials capable of converting into hydroxyapatite. Various bioactive materials used for pulp capping can improve the chance of pulpal recovery and reduce the need for root canal treatments. Endosseous dental implants coated with bioactive materials can attain better and longer-lasting osseointegration. Therefore, bioactive dental materials represent a broad and fast-growing field of research with a promising potential for improving the quality of various dental treatments.

In this Special Issue of Materials dedicated to bioactive dental materials, you are invited to contribute original research, short communications, and review articles.

Prof. Dr. Tobias Tauböck
Dr. Matej Par
Guest Editors

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