Research Suggests Grape Seed Extract May Strengthen Dentin

Grape seed extract may be a natural solution to prolonging the life of resin restorations and strengthening dentin, according to a University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry study. Ana Bedran-Russo, DDS, MS, PhD, an associate professor of restorative dentistry at UIC College of Dentistry and the study’s lead author, explains that the interface where resins bind to dentin is a weak point that causes restorations to break down. “We want to reinforce that interface,” she says. The team’s paper, “Biostability of the Proanthocyanidins-Dentin Complex and Adhesion Studies,” appeared in the Journal of Dental Research.

The study indicates that dentin, which is made up mostly of collagen, can be strengthened with grape seed extract. The investigators determined that damaged collagen can repair itself with a mixture of plant-based oligomeric proanthocyanidins and grape seed extract. This suggests that stronger adhesion could be achieved by interlocking the resin and collagen-rich dentin. “The stability of the interface is key for the durability of such adhesive joints, and, hence, the life of the restoration,” she concludes.

From Decisions in Dentistry. June 2017;3(6):10.