Strontium-doped polyphosphate coacervates to aid reparative dentinogenesis in direct pulp capping

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Dental caries is a major public health problem and reportedly the most common health condition worldwide according to the WHO. When extended past the mineralised protective tissues of the tooth (i.e. enamel and dentine), it causes pain and discomfort by affecting the pulp, which is the soft innermost tissue that harbours nerves and blood vessels along with defensive and reparative functions giving the tooth its vitality. When dental pulp becomes exposed by caries in adult dentition, root canal treatment is frequently indicated. However, a different, less costly and moreconservative approach aimed at protecting this tissue and conserving its vitality is available under the concept of direct pulp capping which briefly consists in applying a compatible material upon the exposed dental pulp. Although many advancements in the field of dental materials have beenachieved during the past two decades, an ideal material for this procedure is not currently available and strontium-doped polyphosphate coacervates constitute a promising - and extremely simple to synthetize - yet unexplored biomaterial for this purpose. The project is aimed at synthesizing and characterising this material and further evaluating the biological response towards it, potentially serving a translational purpose into common dental procedures.