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BDS, CAGS, MS, PhD

Assistant Professor and Consultant in Pediatric Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University

Diplomate, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry

Super-composite: Welcome to the future!

Recurrent dental caries is one of the main reasons for resin composite restoration failures. Besides, polymerization shrinkage stress may lead to marginal damage, microleakage and subsequently failure of composite restorations. It is highly desirable to design new dental composites with antibacterial and remineralizing agents aiming to protect tooth structure. In this lecture, we will discuss a newly developed bioactive nanocomposite with strong antibacterial and ion-recharge capabilities and evaluate its long-term Ca and P ion recharge; and a low-shrinkage-stress (LSS) nanocomposite with antibacterial and remineralization capabilities to reduce marginal enamel and dentin demineralization under recurrent caries biofilm-model. We will also discuss the effects of the new composites on biofilm inhibition, mechanical properties, shrinkage stress, degree of conversion, and Ca and P ion releases. These two newly developed nanocomposites are promising to inhibit recurrent caries and protect tooth structure. The novel combination of LSS with remineralization and antibacterial properties are promising to have a wide applicability in other dental materials such fissure sealants and flowable composites to decrease the shrinkage stress associated with marginal gaps, inhibit biofilms, remineralize tooth lesions, and thereby minimize secondary caries.