Preparation of molecularly imprinted supermacroporous cryogels for controlled fluoride release

In this thesis, fluoride release from fluoride imprinted cryogel discs was carried out and different parameters were investigated in vitro. Cryogels are macroporous polymeric structures formed by cryojelation of monomers/polymers in a solvent below freezing temperature. Cryogelation is one of the newly developed methods for the production of polysaccharide materials for biomedical purposes. Due to their naturally interconnected macroporosity, ease of preparation and biocompatibility, they are increasingly being investigated for use in biomedical applications such as 3D bioprinting, drug delivery, wound healing and injectable therapeutics. Cryogels typically have interconnected macropores (or super-macropores), which allows unhindered diffusion of solutes of almost any size as well as mass transport of nano- and even microparticles. The application of interconnected super macroporous cryogels as support matrices for the purification, separation and immobilisation of whole cells and different biological macromolecules is well reported in the literature. The superior properties of molecularly imprinted polymers, such as their stereospecific recognition, have recently led to their use in biomedical applications such as drug release. Certain problems have limited the practical application of drug delivery systems. For example, they must be able to maintain the therapeutic level at the site of deposition and at the target site. This makes it necessary for drug delivery systems to have molecular recognition properties that enable release to be realised in the presence of specific molecules or when equilibrium concentrations are reached. Therefore, the molecular recognition properties of molecularly imprinted polymers have given them important advantages in drug delivery systems. Dental caries prevalence continues to be a problem affecting high rates all over the world from past to present. In addition to nutrition and oral hygiene habits, various factors such as saliva flow rate, tooth anatomy, heredity, oral flora and fluoridation intake play a role in caries formation. Fluoridine is the most widely used trace element in preventive treatments applied to prevent the onset of caries and to provide remineralisation of newly started opaque enamel lesions, and its properties are well known. Fluoride is an effective anticariogenic agent that can reduce the incidence of dental caries. Fluoride shows an anticariogenic effect by reducing pellicle formation, microbial growth and metabolism while promoting remineralisation.