Whitlockite nanoparticles incorporated chitin–poly(dioxanone) composite scaffold for alveolar bone regeneration

Loss of alveolar bone due to periodontitis is prevalent among a wide range of population and is a major concern for oral health. Treatment of alveolar bone loss is aimed based on the repair of the periodontium as well as type of defect that has been formed. Nanocomposite based hydrogel and scaffolds for alveolar bone regeneration has gained significant attention due to their favourable properties such as stability, biocompatibility and enhanced regeneration. Chitin has been used for decades in biomedical applications owing to its good biological activity, biocompatibility and biodegradability. The addition of synthetic polymer such as polydiaxanone into chitin alters the degradation properties and also enhances the biological properties such as osteogenesis. The addition of bioceramic, whitlockite nanoparticles induces mineralization and osteogenesis. Thus, we developed a composite scaffold (Ch-PDO-nWH) using chitin, polydioxanone and whitlockite nanoparticles, a magnesium based bioceramic. The prepared Ch-PDO-nWH composite scaffold is porous in nature, with swelling property and controlled degradation. The scaffold was tested for its biocompatibility using dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) which showed improved biocompatibility, biomineralization and also stimulated the expression of osteogenic markers such as RUNX2 and OPN thus ultimately aiding in bone regeneration.