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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/R54019/01
Title: Development and characterisation of hard-wearing antibacterial agent-releasing dental cements
Principal Investigator: Young, Professor AM
Other Investigators:
Spratt, Professor DA Pratten, Dr JR Pratton, Dr J
Gulabivala, Professor K
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Biomaterials Science
Organisation: Eastman Dental Institute for Oral Health
Scheme: Fast Stream
Starts: 01 November 2001 Ends: 31 October 2004 Value (£): 66,183
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Biomaterials
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Healthcare
Related Grants:
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Summary on Grant Application Form
A major hazard with all dental restorations is bacterial microleakage. To combat this problem commercial resin-modified glass- ionomer aesthetic dental cements (RMGICs) were designed to be of low shrinkage during set and to release fluoride. At sufficient levels fluoride is antibacterial. The amount required at dentine/ restorative interfaces, to arrest recurrent caries as a result of microleakage, is however, unknown. Relative to other dental restorative materials, RMGICs have generally poor wear resistance and only moderate mechanical properties. The aim of the proposed study, therefore, is to produce and characterise some new RMGICs with improved wear resistance and strength achieved through covalent crosslinking of the resin via a novel means. Development of a range of materials is advocated that also have added, extra fluoride and chlorhexidine antibacterial agents. These agents would be dispersed in the RMGICs inside cylindrical liposome structures to prevent their interaction / reaction with other material components. Such microcylinders (of 0.5 micron diameter) should also provide microchannels, giving increased agent mobility and re-release after cement placement. Agent re-release would be determined as a function of time and material composition. Finally a newly developed in usage bacterial microleakage test method would be applied on the novel range of RMGICs to assess what features are most important in controlling this problem.
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