Bioactive dental materials
Jack L. Ferracane, Sharanbir K. Sidhu, Mary Anne S. Melo, In‐Sung Yeo, Aníbal Diogenes, B.W. Darvell
Abstract
There are often different interpretations by clinicians, manufacturers, and researchers regarding what defines a bioactive material. This has led to confusion amidst varying claims by individual stakeholders. Unlike the more traditional passive materials, bioactive materials are designed to elicit a desired therapeutic or beneficial response. Such materials have been described as releasing ions or molecules to produce an antimicrobial, remineralizing, or regenerating effect within a living organism. Given the complexities of various chemistries, products, and effects, it is virtually impossible to easily identify the essential qualities that qualify a material as bioactive, and clinicians, in particular, often find it challenging to determine whether a product claiming bioactivity is clinically superior and should be used. It is difficult for clinicians to make informed decisions without clarity.