Home > Press > Diamonds -- a tooth's best friend?
![]() |
A new root canal filler containing nanodiamonds could help prevent re-infections.
Credit: American Chemical Society |
Abstract:
Gold, silver and porcelain are among the many materials dentists can use to fix damaged teeth. Soon diamonds -- at least tiny, microscopic ones -- could be added to that list. Scientists have developed a new material with nanodiamonds that has the potential to improve current root canal therapies and help prevent future infection. Their report appears in the journal ACS Nano.
Millions of Americans undergo root canals every year to clear out damaged or infected pulp, the soft part in the middle of a tooth. Dentists' current go-to material to fill the space left behind is a rubber compound called gutta-percha. In some cases, however, a patient's tooth can get re-infected, which calls for another treatment. To prevent this from happening, researchers have been exploring other fillers, including nanodiamonds, which are robust and can be modified with antimicrobial drug compounds. So Dean Ho and colleagues decided to develop a potential root canal therapy based on them.
The team combined nanodiamonds, gutta-percha and amoxicillin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, into a new material. Lab testing showed it was stronger than gutta-percha by itself and was effective at killing Staphylococcus aureus, which is one of the bacteria responsible for root canal re-infections. The scientists say future studies will check whether the composite works in clinical practice.
###
The authors acknowledge funding from the National Science Foundation, the Center for Scalable and Integrated NanoManufacturing, the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, the National Cancer Institute, the Society for the Laboratory Automation and Screening and Beckman Coulter Life Sciences. Five of the authors hold provisional patents that pertain to nanodiamond-based biomaterials.
####
About American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 158,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
For more information, please click here
Contacts:
Michael Bernstein
202-872-6042
Dean Ho, Ph.D.
Division of Oral Biology and Medicine
UCLA School of Dentistry
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Phone: 310-825-7242
or
Copyright © American Chemical Society
If you have a comment, please Contact us.Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.
Related Links |
Related News Press |
News and information
Closing the gaps — MXene-coating filters can enhance performance and reusability February 28th, 2025
Rice researchers harness gravity to create low-cost device for rapid cell analysis February 28th, 2025
Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy
Rice researchers harness gravity to create low-cost device for rapid cell analysis February 28th, 2025
Quantum engineers ‘squeeze’ laser frequency combs to make more sensitive gas sensors January 17th, 2025
Chainmail-like material could be the future of armor: First 2D mechanically interlocked polymer exhibits exceptional flexibility and strength January 17th, 2025
Nanomedicine
Multiphoton polymerization: A promising technology for precision medicine February 28th, 2025
Rice researchers harness gravity to create low-cost device for rapid cell analysis February 28th, 2025
SMART researchers pioneer first-of-its-kind nanosensor for real-time iron detection in plants February 28th, 2025
Discoveries
Closing the gaps — MXene-coating filters can enhance performance and reusability February 28th, 2025
Rice researchers harness gravity to create low-cost device for rapid cell analysis February 28th, 2025
Materials/Metamaterials/Magnetoresistance
Chainmail-like material could be the future of armor: First 2D mechanically interlocked polymer exhibits exceptional flexibility and strength January 17th, 2025
Enhancing transverse thermoelectric conversion performance in magnetic materials with tilted structural design: A new approach to developing practical thermoelectric technologies December 13th, 2024
FSU researchers develop new methods to generate and improve magnetism of 2D materials December 13th, 2024
Announcements
Closing the gaps — MXene-coating filters can enhance performance and reusability February 28th, 2025
Rice researchers harness gravity to create low-cost device for rapid cell analysis February 28th, 2025
Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters
Leading the charge to better batteries February 28th, 2025
Quantum interference in molecule-surface collisions February 28th, 2025
New ocelot chip makes strides in quantum computing: Based on "cat qubits," the technology provides a new way to reduce quantum errors February 28th, 2025
Patents/IP/Tech Transfer/Licensing
Getting drugs across the blood-brain barrier using nanoparticles March 3rd, 2023
Metasurfaces control polarized light at will: New research unlocks the hidden potential of metasurfaces August 13th, 2021
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Announces Closing of Agreement with Takeda November 27th, 2020
Grants/Sponsored Research/Awards/Scholarships/Gifts/Contests/Honors/Records
New discovery aims to improve the design of microelectronic devices September 13th, 2024
Physicists unlock the secret of elusive quantum negative entanglement entropy using simple classical hardware August 16th, 2024
Atomic force microscopy in 3D July 5th, 2024
Dental
Innovations in dentistry: Navigational surgery, robotics, and nanotechnology October 2nd, 2020
First measurement of electron energy distributions, could enable sustainable energy technologies June 5th, 2020
Gas storage method could help next-generation clean energy vehicles: Tremendous amounts of hydrogen and methane can be stored in nanoscopic pores April 17th, 2020
![]() |
||
![]() |
||
The latest news from around the world, FREE | ||
![]() |
![]() |
||
Premium Products | ||
![]() |
||
Only the news you want to read!
Learn More |
||
![]() |
||
Full-service, expert consulting
Learn More |
||
![]() |