In this study, scaffolds were prepared via an electrospinning method for application
in oral cavities. The hydrophilicity of the fiber mesh is of paramount importance,
as it promotes cell spreading; however, the most commonly used polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)
and other hydrophilic fiber meshes immediately disintegrate in aqueous media. In contrast,
the excessive hydrophobicity of the scaffolds already inhibits cells adhesion on the
surface. Therefore, the hydrophilicity of the fiber meshes needed to be optimized.
Scaffolds with different polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/chitosan/citric acid ratios were
prepared. The addition of chitosan and the heat initiated cross-linkage of the polymers
via citric acid enhanced the scaffolds’ hydrophobicity. The optimization of this property
could be followed by contact angle measurements, and the increased number of cross-linkages
were also supported by IR spectroscopy results. The fibers’ physical parameters were
monitored via low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy
(AFM). As biocompatibility is essential for dental applications, Alamar Blue assay
was used to prove that meshes do not have any negative effects on dental pulp stem
cells. Our results showed that the optimization of the fiber nets was successful,
as they will not disintegrate in intraoral cavities during dental applications.
