Laser tech may aid root canal recovery

Laser tech may aid root canal recovery
8 March 2005
by Syane Roy, Contributing Writer
Washington Square News
A professor in NYU's College of Dentistry has created new technology for a dental implant that can reduce healing time by up to six months and could potentially revolutionize the world of medical devices.
Dr. John Ricci, assistant professor in the department of biomaterials and biomimetics, developed an implant, laser engraved with "microgrooves" that more or less correspond to the cells to which they attach. The microgrooves are a more advanced way of texturing implants, which, prior to Ricci's innovation, had been sand blasted and acid etched. This could mean significantly less pain in the long run and a much faster healing time for root canal patients, or anyone with a broken tooth that needs a replacement.
"We are working on a level of eight to 12 thousandths of a millimeter," Ricci said. "The micro-textured surface is a way to control the way the cells react and helps the implants integrate with bone."
The laser technology may have applications outside the world of teeth, he said. If it proves to be viable as a dental implant, the technology may also prove useful for other medical devices, such as hearing aids that can be placed under the skin, making them virtually imperceptible, Ricci said.
"Dental implants are just where the technology is right now," he said. "Dental implants are the best ways to test things to see if they work well or not. The oral cavity is easy to evaluate, and if a dental implant fails you can still walk."
Dental implants consist of a small titanium screw drilled through the patient's gum and into the jawbone. A fake tooth is then attached to the implant and color-matched to the patient's teeth. While Ricci's new implant must still be drilled into place, the healing time may be drastically reduced by up to six months, he said.
Ricci has been working on the project since 1989, when it started as a routine research experiment. The study gradually led to the development of the new implant.
The price drop in laser technology over the last few years has finally allowed for the development of these implants, Ricci said. Just a few years ago, the cost of employing a laser to texture the implants would have been prohibitively expensive, he said.
For patients, Ricci's implants translate into a much faster healing time. Since the microgrooves illicit a positive response from bone and soft tissue, they can be put in as a single-stage implant.
"People can walk in with a fractured tooth, and walk out with a temporary replacement the same day," Ricci said.
Ricci's dental implants received FDA approval on Oct. 22, 2004, but they are still being tested to ensure their effectiveness in actual patients, he said.
Dr. Sang-choon Cho, a clinical assistant professor and research scientist in the department of implant dentistry at NYU, is involved in clinical tests of the new technology. The tests will take two to three years, but have had positive results so far, Cho said.
"We've used more than 100 of the new implants, and the results were quite good," he said. "There is a success rate of over 95 percent, and we can say that they enhance healing time."