Japanese Scientists Develop Ultrathin Tooth Patch

KINKI UNIVERSITY, OSAKA, JAPAN. A microscopically thin film (0.004 millimetres) has been recently developed by a group of Japanese scientists. The head of the research team also claimed that the film will be able to prevent tooth decay and make it look whiter by coating each tooth. This newsworthy medical breakthrough could actually put an end to sensitive teeth.

Using hydroxyapatite, the scientists were able to create an ultra-flexible material and hard-wearing tooth patch. This is the first flexible apatite sheet ever created and the people behind it are hopeful that it will benefit everyone as soon as possible. With it, repairing damaged enamel will be faster while teeth protection will last longer. An all-apatite sheet used to be every dentist’s dream and now it has become a reality. The development of the tooth patch has made it possible to create artificial enamel.

Shigeki Hontsu is the research team leader and he is also a professor at Kinki University’s Faculty of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology in Osaka, Japan. He also worked with Kazushi Yoshikawa on the development. The tooth patch film is created by firing compressed blocks of hydroxyapatite with laser in a vacuum. This process causes particles to pop out and fall on a block of salt. It is heated so that the particles will begin to crystallize before the salt starts to dissolve in water. The film is then scooped up and laid on filter paper to dry. Once it is dry, you may use a pair of tweezers to pick it up because it will be robust enough by then. Once it is applied on the tooth’s surface, it will become invisible even under a light.

Right now, it takes almost an entire day for the film to firmly stick on to the tooth’s surface once it has been applied. Also, it will be possible to make the film white for cosmetic dentistry purposes. In five year’s time, it will also be used to cover exposed dentin which is the tooth’s sensitive layer just under the enamel.