06 Jan Biomimetic Dentistry: Dental Prosthesis
The doctors and staff at Prescott Dentistry pride themselves in offering the most advanced, modern biomimetic dentistry procedures. You can be sure that your dentist in Prescott, AZ is keeping a close eye on all the latest research coming out in the field of biomimetics, and we like to share information to keep our patients informed about their dental health and what separates a dental office that practices biomimetic dentistry from one that practices only traditional dentistry.
One of the strongest and most durable materials known to man is that of seashells or teeth. The makeup of these materials consists of microscopic platelets joined together aligned in different layers but identical orientation. It has been an extreme challenge to recreate this natural biomimetic technology, due to it’s structural complexity and unique properties. However, a group of scientists surrounding head researcher André Studart, Professor of Complex Materials, have produced a new material that mimics the natural model almost exactly.
This new technology has been named magnetically assisted slip casting or MASC. The amazing thing about this advancement is that it builds upon a technique that is already a century old. To read a detailed description of the process visit phys.org.
This new technique has biomimetic dentistry written all over it. The new technique allows the creation of artificial teeth from a casted mold. Unlike dental implants used in a traditional dentistry setting, these artificial teeth behave almost exactly like your natural teeth. The surface is hard and structurally complex, and the layers beneath are softer similar to dentine in your naturally occurring teeth. This technology is still in the proof-of-concept phase, but the demonstration proves that a degree of control is able to be obtained over the microstructure of a composite material. This is a feat previously only accomplished by living organisms!
Read the source study here: dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat4419
Contact Prescott Dentistry today to have all of your questions answered regarding all the currently used biomimetic dentistry procedures here in Prescott, AZ.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (1/6/2016) BiofuelNet Canada (Flickr)