Hydrogels for dental pulp repair: enhancing physicochemical and regenerative potential with CaP-loaded alginate-gelatin hydrogel scaffolds: a FEM and ANN modeling

Abstract

Hydrogels for dental pulp repair present a promising strategy to enhance physicochemical and regenerative potentials. This study focuses on a hydrogel matrix fabricated by combining alginate and gelatin, incorporating varying concentrations of calcium phosphate (CaP) at 0, 2, 4, and 6 wt to evaluate their effects on the mechanical properties of hydrogels for dental pulp regeneration (DPR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to assess the morphological characteristics of the hydrogels. Additionally, finite element analysis (FEA) was introduced to model the conical nerve root, and an artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed to predict the relationships between composition and mechanical and biological properties. Results demonstrated that increasing CaP content enhanced tensile strength, reduced porosity, and improved pH stability, with optimal performance observed at 4 wt. The ANN effectively explored the relationships among parameters influencing tensile strength and porosity, accurately predicting damage percentage, weight gain, and strut diameter. Linear regression analysis validated the ANN's predictions, indicating acceptable error margins relative to experimental data. Incorporation of 4 wt CaP into the alginate-gelatin hydrogel significantly enhanced its mechanical properties, bioactivity, and stability, highlighting the potential of this novel bio-nanocomposite porous scaffold for DPR applications.