Regenerative Endodontic via a tannic acid functionalized electrospun cone – RooTRaCE

Pulp pathologies generated by infectious diseases or by trauma have an impact on the maintenance of the integrity of the dental organ and thus its function in the long term. Indeed, the treatment of these pathologies is still based on care techniques, root canal treatments, which do not allow the healing of the damaged tissue. The tooth therefore loses its biological response to future attacks. Currently, many protocols are being studied to preserve and restore the integrity of the dental pulp. These protocols are based on the use of materials with a bioactive potential as well as on the local control of the tissue reaction through the formation of a blood clot. We are therefore witnessing a paradigm shift in endodontics. However, for the time being the proposed therapies are limited by their clinical indications (partial pulpectomy, apexification of immature teeth). Part of the problem is therefore not yet solved. This is particularly the case when there is a lesion of the entire pulpal tissue on a mature tooth and endodontic treatment is still indicated. The RooTRaCE project addresses this issue by testing and understanding a new mode of treatment whose goal is to generate healing of the pulp tissue. The project is based on the advances already obtained by several international teams on the subject, showing in particular that a material is necessary in these therapeutics. The idea is therefore to develop a medical device in the form of a cone that could be inserted into the canal of a tooth following a conventional root canal preparation, which could support the formation of a blood clot in the first instance and then the formation of a replacement neo tissue. It is therefore a project at the frontier of materials science and biology. It aims to develop a new material in our case: electrospinned polymers (PLA and PCL to form a three-dimensional structured architecture) mixed with tannic acid (for its antibacterial properties). It is also intended to study the secretion of a blood clot. The study of the elements released by a blood clot and their repercussions on the stem cells surrounding the tooth is essential not only for our project but also to understand the messages underlying the techniques currently in use so that they can be made more effective and safe. The project ranges from material development to in vivo testing in a mouse model. It is intended to be the prerequisite for an in vivo study on large animals, which is the only animal model currently available to simulate endodontic treatment. At the end of this project we should therefore have a prototype of a cone that can be used in a dental practice to allow the realization of a root treatment to reach the regeneration of the dental pulp. We will also have the elements to understand the biological events allowing pulp healing. We will therefore be able to share these advances with other groups working on this tissue.