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Polymeric Biomaterials for Dental Regeneration and Antimicrobial Applications

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 542

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Biomaterials Science and Turku Clinical Biomaterials Center—TCBC, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Interests: fiber reinforced composites; dental materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor Assistant
College of Dental Medicine, Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
Interests: dentistry; nanoparticles; stem cells; tissue engineering; regenerative medicine; orthodontics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymeric biomaterials have become indispensable in modern dentistry, offering unprecedented opportunities for oral tissue regeneration, antimicrobial protection, drug delivery, and biomimetic structural support. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the design, fabrication, and application of innovative polymer-based materials for periodontal regeneration, pulp–dentin complex repair, bone augmentation, implant integration, and soft tissue healing. Particular attention will be given to stimuli-responsive polymers, hydrogel systems, nanocomposites, antibacterial and anti-biofilm materials, and polymeric carriers enabling controlled or targeted release of therapeutic molecules. Studies integrating stem cell biology, 3D/4D printing, surface modification, immunomodulation, and translational in vivo models are especially welcome. By gathering interdisciplinary contributions from materials science, dentistry, biomedical engineering, and polymer chemistry, this Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of emerging polymer technologies that are shaping the future of clinical dental therapeutics.

Dr. Sufyan Garoushi
Guest Editor

Dr. Chen Zong
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dental polymers
  • antibacterial
  • hydrogels
  • tissue regeneration
  • periodontal therapy
  • polymeric drug delivery
  • nanocomposites
  • stem cell-based regeneration
  • oral biofilm control
  • 3D printing

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 7118 KB  
Article
Enhancing Antibacterial Dental Matrices: Balancing Antibacterial Activity and Mechanical Properties Through Quaternary Ammonium UDMA Analogues
by Marta Chrószcz-Porębska, Alicja Kazek-Kęsik, Izabella Ślęzak-Prochazka, Grzegorz Chladek and Izabela Maria Barszczewska-Rybarek
Polymers 2026, 18(3), 426; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18030426 - 6 Feb 2026
Viewed by 412
Abstract
The research hypothesis was that adjusting the content of the quaternary ammonium urethane dimethacrylate monomer bearing an N-dodecyl substituent (QAUDMA-12) would yield dental matrices with high antimicrobial activity, good biocompatibility, and favorable physicochemical properties. The research hypothesis was verified for six Bis-GMA, TEGDMA, [...] Read more.
The research hypothesis was that adjusting the content of the quaternary ammonium urethane dimethacrylate monomer bearing an N-dodecyl substituent (QAUDMA-12) would yield dental matrices with high antimicrobial activity, good biocompatibility, and favorable physicochemical properties. The research hypothesis was verified for six Bis-GMA, TEGDMA, and UDMA copolymers containing from 2.5 to 40 wt.% QAUDMA-12 by determining their degree of conversion, hardness, flexural properties, water behavior, antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and cytotoxicity towards L929 mouse fibroblast cells. The research hypothesis was confirmed. Copolymers containing less than 30 wt.% QAUDMA-12 exhibited favorable polymerization efficiency, water sorption and solubility, and mechanical properties comparable to those of conventional Bis-GMA/TEGDMA systems. At the same time, they showed no cytotoxic effects toward mouse fibroblast cells. The results of antimicrobial tests show that the minimum QAUDMA-12 concentration providing sufficient antimicrobial activity was 20 wt.%. Therefore, it can be concluded that the 20 wt.% concentration of QAUDMA-12 makes it possible to obtain dental matrices that are non-toxic, exhibit antimicrobial activity, and possess the desired physico-mechanical performance. Full article
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