Titanium tetrafluoride (TiF4) is an anticariogenic agent with high remineralizing potential. However, the acidic pH of TiF4 solution can limit its clinical application. Dendrimers have been reported to show promising remineralizing potentials. Thus, the present study aimed to prepare and characterize a new TiF4 dendrimer inclusion complex and evaluate its ability to inhibit enamel demineralization under pH cycling conditions. PEG-citrate dendrimer and TiF4-dendrimer inclusion complex were synthesized and their molecular structures were evaluated using FTIR, H NMR, and LC-MS tests. Forty-eight enamel samples were prepared randomly and divided into four groups: distilled water (negative control), TiF4 solution (T), dendrimer solution (D), and TiF4-dendrimer solution (TD). The microhardness of the samples was measured initially. Next, the samples underwent pH-cycling, were exposed to the solutions, the microhardness was measured again, and microhardness loss was calculated. EDX analysis was performed on the surface and cross-sectional segments of the samples. The microhardness loss was significantly higher in control (-65.1± 6.0) compared to other groups. No significant difference was observed between T (-47.9± 5.6) and D (-41.7± 12.0), and also D and TD (-40.5± 9.4) in this regard. Microhardness loss was significantly higher in T compared to TD group. The T+D samples showed similar fluoride and titanium content in both surface and subsurface regions, while the T group had higher concentrations in the surface region. Moreover, the DT solution had a higher pH of 3.4 compared to the T solution's pH of 1.1. TiF4-dendrimer solution showed similar efficacy in inhibiting demineralization comparable to TiF4 solution, with the added advantage of having a higher pH.
S. Karger AG, Basel.