EFFECT OF TiO2 DECORATED CELLULOSIC MATERIALS ADDITION ON MECHANICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF DENTAL ADHESIVE COMPOSITES

The purpose of this study was to prepare cellulose fibers decorated with titanium dioxide, and then incorporate them into the formulation of dental adhesive composites. The influence of this filler on the mechanical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the composites was examined. Different proportions of the filler were mixed with the monomers and then the prepared materials were analyzed through chemical, mechanical, and microscopic characterization. Biocompatibility tests were performed using fibroblast cell lines. Mechanical characterization included the hardness test, the biaxial flexural strength (BFS) test, and the shear bond strength test (SBT). The fillers were found biocompatible, as suggested by the Alamar blue assay, while the mechanical properties of the composites increased with higher filler content. The experimental composite presented good mechanical and biological properties, and thus, it can be used as a dental adhesive material.