Title : Innovation of novel products for the treatment of dentine hypersensitivity: A personal journey
Abstract:
The development of products for the dental market is a complex process requiring numerous stages of development from the laboratory to the clinical or consumer environment. There is no guarantee of success since very few products enter into the consumer market. As a clinician, I have been involved in dental research over the last 35 years, initially on undergraduate and postgraduate research projects as well as conducting both laboratory and clinical studies, working in Industry and finally being involved in developing dental materials in the laboratory for the commercial market. Research requires teamwork expertise, patience as well as having both professional and industrial collaboration to achieve translation of the original concept into the consumer market. The aim of this presentation is to update participants on the novel products that have been developed in a university environment and successfully launched into both the consumer and clinical environment. One of these products is a bioactive glass (BioMinF®) which has been optimized specifically for use as an additive for toothpaste in the treatment of dentine hypersensitivity and remineralization of the early caries lesion. Following laboratory evaluation and subsequent clinical trials the product is now classed as medical device (Class 2a) and distributed in numerous countries. Other products have been developed include Biomin C (a chlorinated-non-fluoride toothpaste), an adhesive orthodontic varnish and a fluoride toothpaste for professional use (Biomin Restore Plus). The advantage of a bioactive glass product is that it enables the fluoride within the glass to dissolve into the saliva over time (up to twelve hours) and provides a fluorapatite layer on the tooth surface that is resistant to acid attack. Further development in investigating other products for use in remineralization and dentine hypersensitivity therapies is ongoing.
Audience Take Away
- To provide participants with an overview on the development of novel dental materials in a university research environment with the aim of introducing innovative products into the commercial market to treat dental diseases.
- To provide participants an awareness of the processes required before dental products can reach the commercial market.
- To outline the properties of an ideal dental product and discuss whether this can be achieved realistically for consumer use.
- To introduce participants to novel bioactive glass-based products for treating specific dental conditions