How can dental restorations – such as fillings and crowns – last longer? A new research group based at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Technische Universität (TU) Berlin intends to address this topic using methods from both materials science and dentistry.
The aim is to gain a better understanding of the composition and structure of the binder interface and the pressures that come with it. The interdisciplinary research group ‘InterDent’ is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). It will receive initial funding of € 2.1 million Euro over three years.
Restorative dentistry uses synthetic biomaterials such as ceramics, alloys and composites to restore damaged teeth. These materials have to withstand heavy pressures and again to maintain their capacity for several years. Secure adherence to the remaining healthy teeth depends on the formation of ‘interface zones’, three-dimensional structures containing different bonding layers of different fusion, microstructure and properties.
Interzones are never as stable as their natural counterparts. This is one of the reasons that tooth restoration often fails early and erupts. The new DFG research group – called FOR2804 ‘InterDent’ – is a collaborative effort involving medical experts and materials scientists. Partners also include Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), a research center for the study of energy products, and the Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interface (MPI-KG), which is based in Potsdam. The researchers hope that a better understanding of the causes of tooth-related structural weaknesses will pave the way for more stable interzones.
“The research group is organized into four sub-projects and one broad, coordinated project, which is the basis for close interaction between experts from materials science and dentistry in different institutions. This interdisciplinary collaboration has identified key parameters that can be used to predict risk of contagion and that can be implemented in clinical practice, ”said the research group’s spokesperson, Dr. Paul Zaslansky, who is a project director at the Institute of Dental, Oral and Maxillary Charité Medicine.
Thanks to its close proximity to state-of-the-art materials laboratories and unique dental expertise, the Berlin-Brandenburg region offers a unique growth environment for inspiring collaborations and innovative decisions. “
Dr. Paul Zaslansky, Project Director, Institute of Dental, Oral and Maxillary Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
The team’s goal is to create better dental products by shedding light on the ways in which different materials interact with the surrounding cigarettes. One of the subprojects aims to predict how dentine (the hard bone material that makes up the heart of the tooth) changes over time, depending on what material is being used. used for the filling to which it is attached. Using non-destructive, highly sensitive, high-resolution technology, the researchers will study the microstructure and chemical properties of dentine, tracking progressive changes over time as part of an aging process. called ‘sclerosis’.
“We want to use this approach to develop a model of sclerotic teeth that will enable us to better understand changes in its structure and composition,” said Dr Ioanna Mantouvalou of the HZB, which led the sub-project with Dr. Zaslansky.
Another sub-project focuses on the structure and mechanical properties of a natural tooth interzone exposed to a specific hard pressure: the junction between dentine and surrounding cementum. Although this structure is very strong and robust in terms of cyclic loading, surprisingly little is known about its microstructure and mechanical properties.
“We want to better understand the structure and function of junction zones in farm mammals and human teeth, comparing younger and older teeth and teeth that have been under altered mechanical pressure. This will allow us to apply general basic principles that contribute to the long-term fat stress of the dentino-cemental junction and study for bioinspired structures, ”says Dr. Claudia Fleck, Head of Materials Engineering at TU Berlin and Deputy Spokesperson for the research group.
When oral bacteria settle the surface of teeth and of the biomaterials used in restorative dentistry, they form a ‘biofilm’: a cohesive community of microorganisms that make narrow cover. “We will study and understand the creation and growth of biofilms by focusing on both blending and microstructure as well as the interregional areas where they interact with dental materials,” said Dr. Cécile Bidan, group director of the MPI-KG Biomaterials division and co-led the third sub-project with Dr. Dr. Sebastian Paris, Director of Research at the Institute of Dental, Oral and Maxillary Charité Medicine.
“To do this, we perform quantitative and systematic analyzes to determine the spatial and temporal development of specific bacteria in biofuels grown on different surfaces and in contact with dental centers.”
How the teeth could be better sealed against bacteria after root canal treatment is the focus of the fourth InterDent subproject.
“By combining high-performance imaging, digital image analysis and mechanical testing methods, we want to determine parameters that are critical for establishing a sealed interzone between biomaterials and the root. We have several new ideas such as lay the foundations for a more sustainable root canal. regeneration, “explains PD Dr. Prof. Kerstin Bitter from the Department of Dentistry Rehabilitation and Prevention, who will share the lead role of a joint project on this project with Prof. Fleck.
To overcome the shortcomings and limitations of dental biomaterials, the available resources and samples must be used in a coordinated manner, and a new generation of medical researchers must be built to integrate results across all subprojects. The main goal of the coordination project is to create a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration – leading to a better understanding of interdentalism with the ultimate goal of improving dental treatment.
Source:
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin