Biomimetic Synthesis of Fluorapatite Coating

Abstract

In the present study, a simple method of regenerating microstructure of human tooth under near-physiological conditions (pH 7.0, 37 °C, 1 atm) was developed. Commercial gelatin was used as matrix materials in this method, which nucleated the formation of fluorapatite (FA) nanocrystals and regulated the growth of nanocrystals. As a result, the resulting thin FA coatings had been prepared on human tooth slices and sintered hydroxyapatite disks, which were in tight contact with the substrates. Besides, the morphologies of FA nanocrystals changed from acicular to hexagonal with the exchange cycle of gel increased. Electron dispersive spectrometer analysis indicated that some sodium and carbonate ions were incorporated into the FA crystal lattices and the calcium to phosphorus ratio was approximate 1.58. The mechanical properties of the resulting FA coating were investigated through nanoindentation system, which showed the similar hardness with dentin. In conclusion, this method demonstrated a potential application to repair tooth damage in dental clinics.

Development of nanofluorapatite polymer-based composite for bioactive orthopedic implants and prostheses

“…Thus, most studies were focused on the mechanical or biological properties of FA in the form of coating. 5 The FA coatings were stable and did not exhibit signs of dissolution and degradability, and FA can develop chemical bonds with bone tissue, which is stronger than bone or bioceramics alone. [6][7][8] Both in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated that FA has a lower bioresorption rate than HA and retained biocompatibility comparable with HA in terms of fixation to bones and bone ingrowth.…”