HONG KONG/LEIPZIG, Germany: Students at the Hwa Chong Institution in Singapore are currently investigating the adhesive properties of barnacles for use in dentistry. Their research, which recently received a Gold Award at this year’s Singapore Science and Engineering Fair, could open new ways to hold dental braces or cement cavities in teeth.

Barnacles are marine invertebrates that tend to live in shallow or tidal waters. They attach themselves permanently to hard substrate like rocks or ships with the help of a protein-based adhesive, also called barnacle cement. Shipping companies have to spend millions every year to remove massive accumulations of these animals, which can slow down ships and increase fuel consumption.

Worldwide, more than 1,220 barnacle species have been identified.

The students explored biocompatibility, speed of polymerisation and acid resistance in the cement secreted by a species called Amphibalanus amphritrite. They found that it not only featured water insolubility and strong mechanical properties but is also safe for humans to use in the mouth. The researchers admitted, however, that the cement lacks resistance to long-term exposure to strongly acidic conditions. Its adhesiveness was compromised when substances of acidic quality, such as orange juice and soda, are consumed, they said.

The team, which is supported by the National University of Singapore, is now working with a new experimental design that can better simulate oral conditions in humans. If successful, the outcome could also be beneficial for other medical fields like joining bones in surgery.