Synthesis and Characterization of Two Bioactive Glass Solutions for Vital Pulp Therapy—A Preliminary Study

This study investigated the effects of bioactive glass, SiO 2 –Na 2 O–CaO–P 2 O 5 (SNCP), and SNCP doped with titanium (SNCP:10Ti) on human dental pulp cell (hDPC) viability, migration, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression. The materials were prepared and their morphology and structural changes were analyzed using atomic force microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, respectively. hDPCs were cultured in aqueous solutions of SNCP, SNCP:10Ti, and Ca(OH) 2 . Cell viability was evaluated using the MTT formazan assay, and cell migration was assessed by a scratchassay. ALP activity was analyzed on day 7. Cell viability, pH, ALP fluorescence, and wound healing were analyzed using analysis of variance and Tukey’s test (α = 0.05). The thickness of the materials was 1 μm, and SNCP:10Ti had Ti nanoparticles located on the edge. The incorporation of TiO2 into SNCP did not affect the samples’ chemical integrity. Cytotoxicity levels were high for all materials at a 1:1 dilution ( p <0.05). Cytotoxicity of all materials at 1:4, 1:8, and 1:16 dilutions was similar ( p >0.05); and that of all materials at 1:8 and 1:16 dilutions was similar to the control cytotoxicity ( p >0.05). However, SNCP:10Ti showed reduced cytotoxicity at a 1:8 dilution ( p <0.05). The migration test did not reveal significant differences between samples ( p > 0.05). The fluorescence intensity was similar in all experimental groups (p>0.05) but was lower in the control group ( p > 0.05). In conclusion, SNCP and SNCP:Ti show potential for use in vital pulp therapies. Doping SNCP with Ti reduced its cytotoxicity in hDPCs.