Impact of Collagen Crosslinkers on Improvement of Dentin Mechanical Properties after Root Canal Treatment

Aim: The intent of this research was investigating the impact of Grape seed extract (GSE) and Tannic ‎acid (TA) treatment on un-demineralized and demineralized dentin wall mechanical properties ‎‎(microhardness, ultimate tensile strength, and flexural strength) after nonsurgical root canal treatment ‎‎(NSRCT). Materials and methods: Sixty single-rooted extracted mature teeth were collected; their clinical crowns ‎were removed to obtain 14-mm long root samples. Chemo-mechanical preparation was performed using ‎Protaper-Next. Samples were divided randomly into Group I (un-demineralized), and Group II ‎‎(demineralized). Groups were subdivided into three subgroups: Subgroup C (control), Subgroup G ‎‎(GSE), and T (TA). Root samples were sectioned into halves longitudinally; one of each was used to ‎evaluate microhardness and the other was used to create dentin slabs for flexural and ultimate tensile ‎strengths evaluation. Results: Dentin demineralization reported a statistically significant negative ‎impact on microhardness, flexural strength, and tensile strength (P-value <0.001). Dentin surface ‎treatment using collagen crosslinkers reported a statistically significant positive impact on ‎microhardness, flexural, and tensile strengths (P-value <0.001). Conclusion: Dentin surface final rinse ‎using collagen crosslinkers (GSE and TA) may improve dentin mechanical properties; able to ‎compensate for the decrease in dentin mechanical properties consequent to root canal treatment ‎protocol. ‎