Evaluation of Biocompatibility and Osteogenic Potential of Tricalcium Silicate-based Cements Using Human Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

INTRODUCTION: The success of endodontic regeneration lies in the appropriate combination of stem cells and bioactive materials. Several novel dental materials are available on the market in this regard. Hence, the current study aimed to evaluate the proliferation, differentiation, and osteogenic potential of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) onto biomaterials like ProRoot MTA (MTA; Dentsply Tulsa Dental, Tulsa, OK), Biodentine (BD; Septodont, Saint Maur de Fosses, France), and EndoSequence Root Repair Material (ERRM; Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA).

METHODS: Dental cements were formulated into discs and assessed for their biocompatibility. hBMSCs were used to study biocompatitibility and the proliferative and osteogenic potential of these dental cements. A live dead assay was performed using confocal microscopy to study the biocompatibility, proliferation, and cell attachment property of the cements. An 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was also performed on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 to study growth kinetics. The osteogenic potential of these cements was studied by inducing hBMSCs over them using osteogenic differentiation medium (assessed by alkaline phosphatase assay).

RESULTS: ERRM and MTA have shown the best biocompatibility among the tricalcium silicate materials used with no significant difference between them. Both have shown significantly higher osteogenic bioactivity than BD. All 3 tricalcium silicate cements support good adherence of hBMSCs.

CONCLUSIONS: All of the dental cements used in this study are biocompatible with the potential to induce proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. Therefore, the newly introduced ERRM can be the material of choice in various endodontic applications.