title: Biocompatibility of polymer-infiltrated-ceramic-network (PICN) materials with Human Gingival Fibroblasts (HGFs).
abstract: Polymer-infiltrated-ceramic-network (PICN) materials constitute an innovative class of CAD-CAM materials offering promising perspectives in prosthodontics, but no data are available in the literature regarding their biological properties. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility of PICNs with human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) in comparison with materials typically used for implant prostheses and abutments.
  
  
  
  HGF attachment, proliferation and spreading on discs made of PICN, grade V titanium (Ti), yttrium zirconia (Zi), lithium disilicate glass-ceramic (eM) and polytetrafluoroethylene (negative control), were evaluated using a specific insert-based culture system (IBS-R). Sample surface properties were characterized by XPS, contact angle measurement, profilometry and SEM.
  
  
  
  Ti and Zi gave the best results regarding HGF viability, morphology, number and coverage increase with time in comparison with the negative control, while PICN and eM gave intermediate results, cell spreading being comparable for PICN, Ti, Zi and eM. Despite the presence of polymers and their related hydrophobicity, PICN exhibited comparable results to glass-ceramic materials, which could be explained by the mode of polymerization of the monomers.
  
  
  
  The results of the present study confirm that the currently employed materials, i.e. Ti and Zi, can be considered to be the gold standard of materials in terms of HGF behavior, while PICN gave intermediate results comparable to eM. The impact of the present in vitro results needs to be further investigated clinically, particularly in the view of the utilization of PICNs for prostheses on bone-level implants.
authors.affiliation: Dental Biomaterials Research Unit (d-BRU) and Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Institute of Dentistry, University of Liège and University of Liège Hospital (ULg, CHU), Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: charlotte.grenade@chu.ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grenade
authors.affiliation: Mammalian Cell Culture Laboratory - GIGA-R, University of Liège (ULg), Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: marie-claire.depauw@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Marie-Claire
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: De Pauw-Gillet
authors.affiliation: Surface Micro and Nano Engineering Division, Centre spatial de Liège, University of Liège (ULg), Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: p.gailly@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gailly
authors.affiliation: Dental Biomaterials Research Unit (d-BRU) and Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Institute of Dentistry, University of Liège and University of Liège Hospital (ULg, CHU), Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: alain.vanheusden@chu.ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vanheusden
authors.affiliation: Dental Biomaterials Research Unit (d-BRU) and Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Institute of Dentistry, University of Liège and University of Liège Hospital (ULg, CHU), Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: a.mainjot@chu.ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Amélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mainjot
mesh_terms: D002516:Ceramics; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005881:Gingiva / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D011108:Polymers; D013499:Surface Properties; D015040:Zirconium
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D015040:Zirconium
keywords: Biocompatibility; CAD-CAM composite; Dental implant prostheses; Human gingival fibroblasts; Lithium disilicate glass-ceramic; Polymer infiltrated ceramic network; Titanium; Zirconia