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Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is a nano fibrillar polymer, which is biostable and non-resorbable when inside the human body. It has excellent biocompatibility and a microstructure with high mechanical strength, and if processed correctly, can mimic the extra-cellular matrix architecture. BNC, modified with bone-like minerals such as calcium phosphates, can improve cell adhesion and promote the formation of new bone tissues. As a result of the need for three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration, this study evaluated the effect of calcium phosphate mineralization process on BNC and (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO)-oxidized BNC scaffolds, to understand the influence of hydroxyl or carboxylate groups on the nucleation and growth of apatite crystals. The results showed 3D scaffolds with controlled microporosity, between 50 and 350 µm, and interconnected pores. The porous morphology of the TEMPO-oxidized BNC scaffolds varied significantly with the oxidation time and only remained preserved after 60 min of the TEMPO-mediated oxidation. BNC and TEMPO-oxidized BNC scaffolds were used to compare two different mineralization treatments. The growth of homogeneously distributed microcrystals was observed in the unmodified BNC scaffolds, whereas heterogeneously distributed microcrystals were observed in the TEMPO-oxidized BNC scaffolds because of the oxidation treatment which affected the continuity of the surface by fracturing some fibers. Also, in vitro cell studies revealed good cellular adhesion and high cell viability in the modified and unmodified BNC scaffolds. Most of the modifications seemed adequate for cellular adhesion.

Bacterial cellulose has great potential as a biomaterial for dental and oral applications. It has been used mainly in dental pulp tissue regeneration, periodontal regeneration, and dressing of surgical wounds of the oral mucosa. In addition, bacterial cellulose has been explored in dental root canal treatment to remove the total residue and dry the canal. This review describes some bacterial cellulose studies focused on these applications, as well as advantages, disadvantages and some important results in both in vitro and in vivo evaluations, based on the physiological and structural components of the particular tissue. Furthermore, this work describes the properties and advantages of bacterial cellulose in dental and oral applications compared with other biomaterials. Finally, in the new era of biomaterials, composite materials inspired by biological tissue based on bacterial cellulose are proposed for alveolar bone regeneration.

The hard palate plate has an important structural function that separates the nasal cavity and the nasopharynx. Incomplete regeneration of palatal fistulae in children with a cleft palate deformity after primary palatoplasty is a relatively common complication. To date, the information about the physicochemical bone features of this region is deficient, due to the low availability of human samples. Swine and human bone share anatomical similarities. Specifically, pig bones are widely used as experimental animal models in dental, orthopedic, or surgical techniques. The aim of this study was to show different techniques to evaluate and characterize alternative properties of pig hard palate bone, compared to commercial hydroxyapatite, one of the most used biomaterials for bone tissue regeneration. Chemical analyses by Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) showed calcium and phosphate ions as the main constituents of bone, while magnesium, iron, sodium, potassium, and zinc ions were minor constituents. The calcium phosphate molar ratio (Ca/P) in the bone was low (1.1 ± 0.2) due to the very young specimen sample used. The FTIR spectrum shows the presence of phosphates ions (PO