Research from the Institute of Dentistry is world-leading, and you’ll be taught by the experts who drive these outputs and work alongside them. Our key aim is for our research – and therefore your learning – to have a genuine impact on society, enhancing lives through improving health and creating the resources needed to do this. Read on for an idea of our research achievements and impact
Tooth decay is the most common chronic dental disease in the world and, if left untreated, can cause pain, abscesses and trauma. Responding to this, Fadil Elamin, Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Dentistry, has developed a way of saving the teeth of children who live in remote areas with intermittent or no access to running water and electricity.
Instead of drilling out the rot and covering the tooth with a thin stainless steel cap, Fadil trialled the Hall technique which does not require a local anaesthetic and specialist skills. By sealing the rot in a glue cap, the germs which cause tooth decay are effectively starved of oxygen and therefore cannot develop. It proved to be as effective a treatment as the ‘gold standard’ one and has also been trialled in Scotland. With healthcare resources the world- over under increasing strain, the Hall technique is a cost and time-effective way of preserving oral health in children.
Professor Robert Hill, chair of dental physical sciences was the first British winner of the prestigious 2019 Varshenaya Award for developing Biomin toothpaste.
What makes Biomin unique is Professor Hill’s considerable expertise in special fluorine-containing glasses and ceramics, which led to the development of fluorine-containing bioactive glasses. This pioneering work means that once the glasses have dissolved, Biomin slowly releases calcium, phosphate and fluoride ions over a 10 to 12 hour period and counters the damage we do by washing protective fluoride away after brushing.
Professor Hill explains: “It is this slow release which is particularly beneficial compared to conventional toothpastes where the fluoride is washed away by salivary flow fairly quickly after toothbrushing.”
Now, Biomin is sold across Europe, China, India and Australia, with the company behind it, Biomin Technologies, licensing its technology to dental companies for varnishes, composite fillings and adhesives.