INNOVATIVE OPTICAL FIBER ILLUMINATION DEVICE AND PERFORATED 3D-PRINTED RESIN POST CONTAINING GRAPHENE: EVALUATION OF ADHESION AND PHOTOPOLYMERIZATION OF RESIN CEMENTS

• Grant number: 24/12049-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Materials
• Principal Investigator: Tarcisio Jose de Arruda Paes Junior
• Grantee: Carolina Gonzales França
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The complete photopolymerization of resin cement in rehabilitations with prefabricated posts is challenging due to the difficulty of LED light transmission in the root canal. The search for new, more effective, and biocompatible techniques and materials prevails, and currently, a highly studied component is graphene, due to its excellent antimicrobial and mechanical properties. Given these challenges, efforts are being made to develop techniques that improve the adhesion properties of intra-radicular printed posts with appropriate mechanical and biological characteristics. Therefore, this study aims to fabricate an experimental perforated graphene post through 3D printing, allowing the insertion of an optical fiber illumination device that will conduct the LED light from the photopolymerizer throughout the entire length of the root canal. The posts will be designed in Rhinoceros 5.0 software in a conical shape and printed with Dental Hard Graphene (3D Procer) and Bio Splint resins. 80 bovine teeth will be endodontically treated, unobstructed, and distributed into groups (N=30): PRS (solid post printed in 3D resin); PRP (perforated post printed in 3D resin); PGS (solid post printed in graphene 3D resin); PGP (perforated post printed in graphene 3D resin), and cemented with dual resin cement. The perforated posts will use optical fiber according to the pre-established photoactivation protocol of 80 seconds in each third of the root canal. The mechanical analysis will be performed by push-out tests, stereomicroscope, and three-point bending tests. The degree of conversion of monomers to polymers will be evaluated through RAMAN testing, and the biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity will be measured, followed by the assessment of the adaptation of the new post and illumination device using scanning electron microscopy. All data will be statistically analyzed.