Strategies to Improve Biocompatibility of Dental Materials

Adverse reactions to dental materials occur and public interest in this topic has increased during recent decades. Thus, improving the biocompatibility of dental materials is necessary and must be based on several strategies. First, a strategy for improving the administrative and technical conditions for material certification processes should be included, such as the development of in vitro tests with enhanced predictability of the generated data for use in the clinic. Second, research on material/tissue interactions must be enhanced and include mechanistic approaches, as this strategy leads to the development of new and more biocompatible materials. Research into patients and their individual exposure situation is a strategy directed at better defining risk groups. Finally, improvement of education will also lead to improved biocompatibility of dental materials. © 2014, Springer International Publishing AG.