Comparative evaluation of bioglass nanofiber, dexamethasone-coated bioglass nanofiber, and platelet-rich fibrin, as scaffolds in regenerative endodontic treatment of immature necrotic teeth: A randomized controlled trial

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the regenerative endodontic potential of dexamethasone-coated bioglass nanofiber (Dex-BGnf), bioglass nanofiber (BGnf), and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) for inducing regeneration in necrotic immature permanent teeth.

Materials and methods: A total of 36 (n = 12) immature necrotic teeth with or without evidence of periapical lesion were included in the study. Patients were randomly allocated into three groups, based on the scaffolds used: Group I (PRF), II (BGnf), and III (Dex-BGnf). The clinical (electric pulp test) and radiographic evaluations (percentage increase in apical diameter, root length, root dentin thickness, and periapical healing) were compared at 6 and 12 months after the procedure with baseline records.

Statistical analysis: One-way ANOVA, post hoc Tukey analysis, and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for evaluating the data. A 6- and 12-month improvement analysis was done using paired t-test and Friedman test.

Results: Clinically, all the 36 teeth were asymptomatic, but none gave a positive response to Electric Pulp Test (EPT) in time interval of 12 months. Dex-BGnf showed a statistically significant improvement in terms of increase in root length (P = 0.020) and root dentinal thickness (P = 0.001) when compared to PRF after 12 months.

Conclusion: The study has shown that Dex-BGnf yielded significantly better results than PRF for inducing apexogenesis in necrotic immature teeth.