Question

1.1 What are the most important variables for controlling ion release rates in “SmartCap Technology”? (1 paragraph)

1.2 What are the essential factors that are important to gain good phosphoric acid etch that will lead to micromechanical retention of the sealant. (Mention 2 points)

Answer 1

1)

SmartCap Technology is a promising technology for the sustained, controlled release of anti-caries and antimicrobial agents from microcapsules embedded in dental products. While to date, the research has mainly focused on microcapsules delivering bioavailable fluoride, calcium and phosphate ions, the results of research on antimicrobial agents and self-healing agents in dental materials are also promising. Given the replenishment of these ions, the effect in dental materials would be ongoing while preserving the integrity of the material. Potential target applications for SmartCap Technology include but are not limited to dental sealants, restorative materials and cements, implant technologies, preventive products, oral first aid products and toothpastes.

2)

Dentin adhesive systems traditionally relied on three application steps: phosphoric acid (PA) etching to remove the smear layer, open dentin tubule orifices and demineralize dentin matrix followed by rinsing; application of a hydrophilic primer to re-expand the organic matrix and facilitate penetration of the bonding resin; and finally bonding, which comprises application of a resin to penetrate the primed dentin and polymerize to form adhesion. Self-etch systems were later developed based on the functional monomer chemistry , which could simultaneously demineralize dentin superficially and penetrate the resin monomers.The self-etch adhesives can reduce clinical operation time and minimize the technique sensitivity . Earlier self-etch adhesive systems required a separate bonding agent application after the self-etch primer; more recently all-in-one adhesives have been introduced as simplified adhesives in one-bottle. However, the effectiveness of the simplified steps of bonding has been controversial. It has been reported that the bonding performance of all-in-one adhesives are inferior to that of both the 3-step and 2-step self-etching systems and have a higher annual failure compared to etch-and-rinse adhesives .