Hydrogels-Applications in Dental Medicine: An Updated Review.

Abstract

Background: Oral disorders such as caries, pulpitis, periodontitis, peri-implantitis, and oral malignancies often involve microbial infections, inflammation, and tissue damage. Current dental treatments, though advancing, are still limited by the properties of materials used, which may lead to issues such as microleakage, brittleness, and side effects. There is a growing demand for innovative biomaterials to address these challenges in oral and craniofacial therapies.

Aim: This review aims to explore the applications of hydrogels in dental medicine, emphasizing their potential in treating oral disorders, facilitating tissue regeneration, and enhancing drug delivery systems.

Methods: A comprehensive review of literature was conducted to examine the properties, classifications, and functional applications of hydrogels in dental medicine. The chemical mechanisms of hydrogel network formation, including both crosslinked and self-assembled hydrogels, are discussed. The review focuses on their use as antibacterial agents, scaffolds for tissue regeneration, and drug delivery vehicles in various dental treatments.

Results: Hydrogels demonstrate excellent biocompatibility, porosity, and hydrophilicity, making them ideal candidates for dental applications. They are classified based on their chemical formation mechanisms and physical structures. Covalent crosslinking and self-assembly are the primary methods used for creating hydrogel networks. Hydrogels can encapsulate antibacterial agents for treating periodontal diseases, deliver drugs for managing orthodontic movements, and serve as scaffolds in tissue regeneration, showing promising results in tissue repair and drug delivery efficiency.

Conclusion: Hydrogels offer a novel and versatile solution in dental medicine. Their unique properties enable them to overcome the limitations of conventional dental materials, improving treatment outcomes. Further research into the optimization of hydrogel formulations will expand their potential applications, particularly in tissue engineering and drug delivery.