September 27, 2011
Dr. Daniel Boyd Awarded NSHRF Establishment Grant
Dr. Daniel Boyd along with collaborator Dr. Mark Filiaggi (Applied Oral Sciences), has been awarded a three year Establishment Grant from the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation for the research project
“Bioactive and Stimuli Responsive Systems for the Atraumatic Restorative Technique in Dentistry”. The award will be used to develop new and improved materials and clinical protocols for treating and preventing dental caries.
Currently dentists use resin-based materials for this purpose, however resins have limitations associated with their performance and toxicity. Glass ionomer cements (GICs) are seen as an alternative material, but have performance and handling limitations of their own. The researchers plan to enhance the properties of existing GICs so that they set on-command using an external stimulus. They will also develop new GICs that have antibacterial and remineralization properties. These enhancements will make the cements easier to place and improve their mechanical and restorative properties. Furthermore these materials will be suitable for use in repairing teeth in the absence of piped water using simple hand tools – providing a cost-effective solution to providing dental care in remote and isolated communities.
