Antimicrobial gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)/bioactive glass dental adhesives
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Zhao, Tianyuan
Edwards, Andrew
Celiz, Adam
Jones, Julian
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Oral diseases, such as periodontitis, remain a major global concern due to their high incidence and significant morbidity. The principal drivers are bacterial overgrowth and associated inflammation. Bioactive glass of the 45S5 Bioglass® composition (BG) is known for its remineralising, osteogenic and antibacterial effects via ion release, but its application has been limited in oral environments. In this study, a photocurable GelMA hydrogel was developed as a carrier matrix for BG (1–15% w/v) to obtain synergy between the adhesive properties of the GelMA and the bioactivity of the glass. Incorporation of 10% w/v BG improved ultimate tensile strength (97 kPa) compared to pure GelMA (58 kPa) and reduced swelling by 18%. The composites showed ~60% higher adhesive strength on collagen sheets than GelMA alone. Tensile bonding strengths reached 54 kPa on collagen sheets and 23 kPa on tooth sections. Lap-shear adhesive strengths were 44 kPa on collagen and 18 kPa on implant metal. In vitro studies confirmed the composite’s biocompatibility with dental pulp stem cells and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Overall, the GelMA/BG composite presents a multifunctional platform for dental remineralisation with promising mechanical, adhesive and antibacterial performance.
Date Issued
2026-08-10
Date Acceptance
2026-08-03
Citation
Journal of Functional Biomaterials, 2026, 17 (8)
ISSN
2079-4983
Publisher
MDPI AG
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Functional Biomaterials
Volume
17
Issue
8
Copyright Statement
© 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
License URL
Identifier
10.3390/jfb17080394
Subjects
bioactive glass
GelMA adhesive
composite
dental remineralisation
antimicrobial activity
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 394