Fabrication and toxicity testing of drug-loaded oral patches to expedite wound repair following tooth extraction.

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Wisdom tooth extraction is one of the most common surgeries carried out in the UK, and is notorious for causing post-operative pain. 1 in 6 patients will experience "dry-socket" after wisdom tooth removal; a condition where the blood clot is lost and the extraction socket becomes painful. The condition is a major problem-treatment is aimed at managing the pain at the site of the extraction until the natural process of healing has occurred; this can take a number of weeks. Painkillers can be extremely difficult to swallow due to soreness at the extraction site. Postoperative pain and dry-socket could be alleviated by the development of an oral membrane to cover the wound post-extraction. Our collaborator, AFYX, APS has developed a bioadhesive oral patch that adheres tightly to oral tissue. We plan to incorporate three drugs into the adhesive membrane (painkiller, analgesic, anti-inflammatory). Once applied, the membrane will not only prevent loss of blood clot, but will simultaneously provide pain relief, anti-inflammatory and wound aiding benefits. We will use artificial oral tissue to test the adhesiveness of the membranes, drug-release kinetics and drug-penetration depths. This interdisciplinary project brings together tissue-engineering experts, material scientists and clinician expertise to address an unmet clinical need.