Injectable Piezoelectric Hydrogel for Vital Pulp Therapy

This study presents a light-curable, injectable piezoelectric gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel containing barium titanate nanoparticles designed for vital pulp therapy. The hydrogel demonstrated excellent injectability (<1 kgf), stable viscoelastic properties, and the ability to generate physiologically relevant electrical signals under cyclic compressive loading that mimics mastication. Human dental pulp stem cells cultured on the piezoelectric hydrogel exhibited enhanced metabolic activity and significantly upregulated odontogenic and dentin matrix genes, including ALP, COL1A1, DSPP, and DMP1, compared to a commercial calcium silicate cement (Biodentine XP) and non-piezoelectric controls. Cyclic mechanical loading amplified these regenerative responses, indicating that mechanically induced bioelectric cues accelerate odontogenic differentiation and matrix maturation. Overall, the work establishes piezoelectric hydrogels as self-powered, bioactive pulp-capping materials that convert physiological forces into regenerative signals for dentin–pulp complex repair. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}