Table 2 Representative biomineralization-inspired materials for dentin remineralization

Peptides

8DSS peptide

37% phosphoric acid, 2 min

8DSS is coated on demineralized dentin by adding its solution; 1 mg·mL⁻¹, 1 h

In vitro remineralization in artificial saliva for 3 weeks; in vitro cell experiment of human dental pulp cell

Good biocompatibility; good binding strength to dentin collagen; promote mineral regeneration and improve mechanical properties of demineralized dentin

¹³²

37% phosphoric acid, 15 s

In vitro remineralization in artificial saliva for 4 weeks

Decrease dentin permeability; dentinal tubule occlusion

¹³⁸

DMP1-inspired peptides

14% EDTA, 10 d; removal of non-collagenous proteins by the treatment of HCl and trypsin-EDTA

Immersion treatment in peptide solutions; 4%, 15 h

In vitro remineralization in wells supplied with calcium and phosphate buffer, for 2 weeks

Bind to demineralized human dentin; stabilize nucleation clusters; promote remineralization in collagenase-challenged dentin matrices

¹⁴¹

Amelogenin-inspired peptide

Demineralizing solution (2 mmol·L⁻¹ CaCl₂·2H₂O, 2 mmol·L⁻¹ KH₂PO₄, 50 mmol·L⁻¹ sodium acetate, and 0.05 mol·L⁻¹ acetic acid), 3 d

Immersion treatment in peptide solution; 0.5 mg·mL⁻¹, overnight

In vitro remineralization in artificial saliva for 10 days

Increase mineral density, promote tensile strength, hardness, and modulus of remineralized dentin

¹⁴⁵

PAMAM dendrimers

PAMAM–COOH

37% phosphoric acid, 15 s; or 0.5 mol·L⁻¹ EDTA, 30 min, 4 mol·L⁻¹ guanidine chloride, 1 h

Immersion treatment in PAMAM–COOH solution; 10 000 mg·L⁻¹, 12 h

In vitro remineralization in artificial saliva; in vitro collagen mineralization; in vivo remineralization in the oral cavity of rats for 2 weeks

Promote intrafibrillar mineralization of demineralized dentin and collagen fibrils; induce remineralization in oral cavity, and promote the morphology and compactivity of newly generated minerals

¹³³

PAMAM–PO₃H₂

0.5 M EDTA, 30 min, 4 mol·L⁻¹ guanidine chloride, 1 h

Immersion treatment in PAMAM–PO₃H₂ solution; 1 000 mg·mL⁻¹, 12 h

In vitro cell experiments of HepG2 cells; in vitro remineralization in artificial saliva; in vivo remineralization in the oral cavity of rats

Low cell cytotoxicity; promote mineral regeneration in vivo and in oral cavity; promote surface microhardness recovery

¹⁵⁸

Polyelectrolytes-stabilized ACP

CaP-PILP

37% phosphoric acid, 20 s

CaP-PILP is added into remineralization solution

In vitro remineralization in remineralization solution for 10 days

Induce both intrafibrillar and extrafibrillar remineralization

¹⁸¹

PAH-ACP

15% phosphoric acid, 15 s

PAH-ACP loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles are sprinkled onto dentin surface and embedded with a resin

In vitro remineralization for 3 months; in vitro cell experiment on osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs

Induce heavily mineralization; promote osteogenesis of hMSCs

²⁰²