Dental News - Researchers discover new material that could make dental fillings more durable

Dental Tribune International

Mon. 18. March 2019

save

PORTLAND, Ore., U.S.: A recent study has found that a compound used to make car bumpers more robust and protect wood decks could make dental fillings last twice as long. The results of the investigation will help design fully formulated adhesives to be tested in clinically relevant conditions, and as a result, dental patients could reduce the number of visits to the dental office.

A team of researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) School of Dentistry in Portland has created a filling material that is twice as resistant to breakage than conventional fillings. The new filling uses the additive thiourethane, which can also be found in protective coatings for cars and wood decks.

The team has also developed an adhesive that proved to be three times stronger after six months in use than the adhesives that are currently used to keep fillings in place. Combined, the new adhesive and the composite are designed to make more enduring dental restorations.

“Today’s dental restorations typically only last seven to ten years before they fail,” said Dr. Carmem Pfeifer, an associate professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry at the school and corresponding author of the studies. “They crack under the pressure of chewing, or have gaps form between the filling and the tooth, which allow bacteria to seep in and a new cavity to form,” Pfeifer said. “Every time this happens, the tooth under the restorations becomes weaker and weaker, and what starts as a small cavity may end up with root canal damage, a lost tooth or even life-threatening infections,” she continued.

The dental adhesive uses a type of polymer, known as (meth)acrylamide, that is much more resistant to damage in water, bacteria and enzymes in the mouth than the standard adhesives currently used in the dental industry. The composite material uses thiourethane, a chemical compound that can better withstand chewing.

The study describing the adhesive is titled “Use of (meth)acrylamides as alternative monomers in dental adhesive systems” and was published online in Dental Materials on Feb. 27, 2019, ahead of inclusion in an issue.

The study on the material is titled “Toughening of dental composites with thiourethane-modified filler interfaces” and was published online on Feb. 19, 2019, in Scientific Reports.

Tags:

To post a reply please login or register

Research discovery could help create stronger, more durable dental fillings

EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada/LONDON, U.K.: Given that more than 2.3 billion people are estimated to suffer from dental caries, any potential advances in dental...

Researchers develop material that could emulate dental enamel

LONDON, UK: Unlike many other tissues in the human body, dental enamel does not regenerate itself once it is damaged. In what could potentially be a ...

Russian chemists make new discovery in advancement of dental material

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia: According to some experts, deterioration of human health is one of the most pressing problems in modern medicine—concerning ...

Researchers develop new bonelike material

PORTLAND, Ore., U.S.: In a recent development that could have a huge impact on the dental industry, researchers from the Oregon Health and Science ...

Italian researchers test 11 new 3D-printing materials

PERUGIA, Italy: In recent years, the landscape of dental prosthesis fabrication has seen a significant shift with the advent of additive manufacturing ...

New production process promises to make dental ceramic implants more resilient

MÜLHEIM AN DER RUHR, Germany: Prof. Sami Sandhaus’s development of ceramic dental implants marked a turning point in the advancement of dental implant ...

Researchers discover which dental traits reveal genetic relationships

TÜBINGEN, Germany: Given that teeth are often the best-preserved part of human skeletons, researchers across many disciplines frequently rely on them to ...

Mussel-inspired compound enhances adhesion of dental filling material

HONG KONG, China: Moisture is one of the greatest challenges for dental fillings, as it reduces adhesive performance. To overcome this obstacle, researchers...

Scientists discover that dental radiographs can reveal vitamin D deficiency

HAMILTON, Ontario, Canada: Human teeth hold vital information about vitamin D deficiency, and Canadian anthropologists have now found that this serious but ...

Lithuanian researchers develop dental equipment that destroys viruses

KAUNAS, Lithuania: The work of dental professionals was significantly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. For this reason, researchers from Lithuania have ...

Education

Live webinar
Fri. 26 April 2024
12:00 pm EST (New York)