Zirconia-incorporated zinc oxide eugenol has improved mechanical properties and cytocompatibility with human dental pulp stem cells.

OBJECTIVE: Zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE) is widely used as a therapeutic dental restorative material. However, ZOE has poor mechanical properties and high cytotoxicity toward human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) due to the release of Zn ions. In this study, zirconia-incorporated ZOE (ZZrOE) was developed to reduce the cytotoxicity and improve the mechanical properties of ZOE with sustained therapeutic effects on inflamed hDPSCs in terms of inflammatory gene expression levels compared with those of the original material. METHODS: After the setting time and mechanical properties of ZZrOE incorporating varying amounts of zirconia (0, 5, 10, and 20wt% in powder) were characterized, the surface morphology and composition of the resulting ZZrOE materials were investigated. The ions and chemicals released into the cell culture medium from ZOE and ZZrOE (3cm2/mL) were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and gas chromatography, respectively. After testing cytotoxicity against hDPSCs using the above extracts, the therapeutic effects on lipopolysaccharide-inflamed hDPSCs in terms of compromising the upregulation of inflammatory response-related mRNA expression were tested using real-time PCR. RESULTS: ZZrOE 20% exhibited increased compressive strength (∼45%), 3-point flexural strength (∼150%) and hardness (∼75%), as well as a similar setting time (∼90%), compared with those of ZOE. After the rough surface of ZZrOE was observed, significantly fewer released Zn ions and eugenol (∼40% of that from ZOE) were detected in ZZrOE 20%. ZZrOE showed less cytotoxicity because of the lower amount of Zn ions released from ZOE while showing sustained inhibition of inflammatory marker (e.g., interleukin 1ß, 6 and 8) mRNA levels. SIGNIFICANCE: The improved mechanical properties and cytocompatibility, as well as the sustained therapeutic effects on inflamed hDPSCs, were investigated in ZZrOE compared with those of ZOE. Therefore, ZZrOE has the potential to be used as an alternative to ZOE as a dental restorative material.