I-Corps: Restorative cement for remineralization in tooth decay following minimal invasive restoration

Award ID: 2033171

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a dental restorative addressing dental cavities. Dental caries remains the most common chronic disease in humans, children (25%), teenagers (59%), and adults (92%); it consumes 5-10% of healthcare budgets in high-income countries. The proposed technology provides a low-cost solution to functionally repair and mineralize the damaged tooth, instead of merely removing the tissue, reducing the time and costs associated with surgical intervention. It may be readily adopted by dental professionals as it requires only minor modifications to the existing restorative workflow, and as a minimally invasive approach, it may simplify and shorten surgical interventions compared to conventional restorations. The core technology of mineralization opens a significant potential for the in vitro synthesis as well as in vivo repair of mineralized tissues like bone, and cementum. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a dental restorative to address dentin incipient cavities. The proposed technology is based on the incorporation of the polymer induced liquid precursor (PILP)-method into a dental restorative. This material releases biomimetic molecules that transport calcium and phosphate ions to collagen fibrils in the damaged dentin tissue and facilitates mechanical reinforcement by functional remineralization. The proposed approach introduces a remineralization agent for the dentin and can augment the standard restorative protocol in dental procedures. This treatment restores the function of dentin through the recovery of the elastic modulus and hardness of the damaged tissue, thus facilitating repair through remineralization. In addition, the technology enables a special cement liner to deliver targeted and sustained mineralizing agents to repair and reverse caries in dentin. The final formulation will be developed by tuning bioactive compositions mixed with biomimetic compounds. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman