Proactive and Interceptive Treatment for Incipient Dental Caries

Abstract

Dental caries are developed due to bacterial plaque, and because current preventative treatments are unreliable, cavities advance into the dentin of the tooth—emphasizing the need for an adaptable, and non-invasive solution for early effective intervention especially for patients prone to cavities. This includes smokers, patients with chronic dental diseases, and patients in higher risk groups including children and patients over the age of 50 for an estimated market size of over 100 million individuals in these groups [1]. In the United States alone, 175 million dental fillings are performed per year, making it one of the most common dental procedures and one that is often repeated [2]. This being said, there is not a standard treatment to prevent lesions that have not yet fully developed into a cavity. The DentaNova design offers a preventative treatment that is non-invasive, has a quick application time, and is effective at remineralizing the teeth to repair lesions on the enamel. The concept utilizes the Slate Flosser as the base for targeted delivery which provides gentle sonic vibrations to remove debris for improved application. The flosser will have a 3D printed attachment head equipped with a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) film sheet composed of nano-hydroxyapatite and a radiopaque additive of bismuth oxide to be administered upon contact with the enamel. Associated costs are approximated to be $155.30 per product developed; however, the base of the design can be sterilized for future procedures. The flosser heads will be 3D printed and can be produced in large quantities for less than $5 a head, and costs to add the biomaterials will be $23.80 for nano hydroxyapatite, approximately $1-$2 for HPMC, and $1-2 for bismuth oxide. Further testing will be done in the next steps of the project to determine definite manufacturing and design costs.

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