I-Corps: Electrokinetic Drug Delivery into Dental Enamel

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种将药物或美容牙科治疗送入牙釉质的设备。目前，最先进的牙釉质治疗依赖于局部应用。然而，牙釉质的纳米多孔性质抑制了小分子和药物的扩散，这阻碍了深入和快速的治疗。更深入、更快速地将各种治疗分子（如氟化物或钾）输送到牙釉质中，可以更好地防止蛀牙或牙齿敏感。所提出的技术旨在增强小分子的渗透，以提供更高的疗效和/或更持久的牙科治疗。这可能会改善氟化物治疗以防止蛀牙，美容美白程序，以及抗生素治疗牙髓炎，否则需要根管治疗。这个I-Corps项目是基于一种技术的发展，这种技术可以在牙齿的纳米通道内诱导电动流动，从而驱动液体流入牙釉质。由于存在于牙釉质纳米通道中的双电层被施加的电场驱动而产生电动力流。通过在牙釉质上施加足够的电压，这种方法允许小分子和大分子、带电分子和不带电分子快速深入渗透到牙齿中。拟议的技术可能会影响预防和美容牙科。除了提供氟化物和钾处理外，拟议的技术还可用于提供大型和大分子物质，如牙科树脂，这可能扩大这些保护和加强未腐烂或以前酸蚀牙齿的物质的用例。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a device to deliver pharmaceutical or cosmetic dental treatments into tooth enamel. Currently, state-of-the-art treatment to enamel relies on topical application. However, the nanoporous nature of the enamel inhibits diffusion of small molecules and pharmaceuticals, which prevents deep and rapid treatments. The deeper and more rapid delivery of a diverse range of therapeutic molecules into the enamel, such as fluoride or potassium, could lead to better protection against tooth decay or sensitivity. The proposed technology is designed to enhance infiltration of small molecules to provide higher efficacy and/or longer lasting dental treatments. This may improve fluoride treatments to prevent cavities, cosmetic whitening procedures, and antibiotic delivery to treat pulpitis that would otherwise require root canal treatment. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a technology to induce electrokinetic flow within the nanochannels of the teeth to drive fluid flow into the dental enamel. Electrokinetic flow is produced as a result of the electrical double layer that exists in the nanochannels of the enamel being driven by an imposed electrical field. Through application of a sufficient voltage across the dental enamel, this method allows rapid and deep infiltration of small and large, charged and uncharged molecules into the teeth. The proposed technology may impact both preventative and cosmetic dentistry. In addition to the delivery of fluoride and potassium treatments, the proposed technology may be used for the delivery of large and macromolecular species such as dental resins, which may expand the use case for these protecting and strengthening species on non-decayed or previously acid-etched teeth.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.