Agarose hydroxyapatite composite hydrogel for enamel surface biomimetic remineralization (an in-vitro study)

Abstract

This study focused on developing a biomimetic agarose-hydroxyapatite (AG/HA) composite hydrogel and its evaluation for enamel repair efficacy. Sixty-four human molar slices were allocated into four groups: Control, Etched, AG hydrogel-treated, and AG/HA composite hydrogel-treated (n=8), with assessments at different intervals (4, 7, and 21 days). Enamel demineralization was induced using 37% phosphoric acid, followed by application of AG and AG/HA hydrogels. The remineralization outcomes were evaluated using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Vickers microhardness testing, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test. The findings revealed that the AG/HA significantly enhanced the calcium-to-phosphate (Ca/P) ratio and restored enamel hardness and crystal microstructure to levels comparable to control group, unlike the AG, which exhibited limited reparative effects. As a conclusion, AG/HA biomimetic hydrogels are effective in achieving rapid and sustained remineralization of enamel, closely replicating natural enamel structure.