Riboflavin and riboflavin-derivatives as collagen cross-linker agents for improved longevity of dental restorations

Tooth decay is a major public health challenge that places an enormous burden on the healthcare system. In order to aesthetically replace lost tooth tissue and carious defects, adhesive placed tooth-colored restorations are the most common interventions today. However, their lifespan is limited because the bond between tooth structure and restorative material is prone to degradation. Strengthening the dentinal collagen network in the bonded tooth area through additional cross-linking is a plausible mechanism to prevent or delay this degradation. The project aim therefore to contribute to the understanding of the fundamental interaction mechanisms between externally applied adjuvant collagen cross-linkers and tooth structure, in particular with regard to potentially enhanced resistance to degradation under clinically challenging conditions. Divided into three phases, the project will first screen natural materials found in the human body, such as vitamin B2 (riboflavin, RB) and RB derivatives, along with parameters for optimal functionality under environmental conditions. From a complex perspective, that includes physical, chemical, mechanical, biological and toxicological aspects, the basic interaction mechanisms of the cross-linking agents and the tooth structure will be analyzed, and the degree of collagen cross-linking quantified. Finally, a clinically applicable treatment protocol will be developed and evaluated under different simulated and increasingly aggressive clinical conditions. The project will combine multidisciplinary investigation methods at macroscopic to nanoscopic scale and provide previously unavailable insights into the processes associated with cross-linking treatment. These include scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning near-field microscopy (SNOM), high-resolution infrared imaging spectroscopy using a quantum cascade laser, quasi-static and dynamic mechanical analysis, zymography, SDS-PAGE, biocompatibility and cytotoxicity.

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