A Novel Caries Prevention and Treatment System

描述(申请人提供)：该研究项目的具体目标是开发一种低成本、基于激光的龋齿预防和治疗系统，以有效地减少或消除儿童和成人的龋齿。尽管龋齿在过去几十年中大幅下降，但仍有相当大比例的儿童和成年人的恒牙有未经治疗的龋齿证据。此外，龋齿的下降在20世纪90年代达到了平台期。目前预防和治疗龋病的方法很多。然而，它们的成本高、可获得性或有效性有限，或者缺乏长期的防龋性，这些都是有限的。因此，需要新的方法来解决这些关键问题，并提供一个低成本的长期解决方案，可以完全预防龋齿。Creare的创新是龋齿预防和治疗系统(CRTS)。这一新颖的系统结合了标准的氟化物处理和低功率、低成本、连续波激光，几乎完全抑制了牙釉质脱矿。实时测量牙釉质温度的新方法将成为该系统的组成部分。该硬件将与基于模型的自适应控制软件相结合，实现对搪瓷温度的精确控制。通过这样做，我们的创新将最大限度地提高治疗效果，同时提高易用性并消除对敏感组织的损害风险。我们创新的低成本将使更多的人能够获得关键的龋病管理和治疗，这对高危儿童和成年人特别重要。我们的新系统将提高龋病预防的可负担性、可及性、有效性、实用性和安全性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The specific aim of this research program is the development of a low-cost, laser-based caries prevention and treatment system to effectively reduce or eliminate caries in children and adults. Even with the substantial decline in caries that has occurred over the last several decades, a substantial percentage of children and adults have evidence of untreated caries in their permanent teeth. Furthermore, the decline in caries reached a plateau during the 1990s. Many methods are currently available for caries prevention and treatment. However, they are limited by their high cost, limited availability or effectiveness, or lack of long- term caries resistance. Hence, new approaches are needed to address these key issues and provide a low- cost, long-term solution that can prevent caries altogether. Creare's innovation is the Caries Prevention and Treatment System (CRTS). This novel system combines a standard fluoride treatment with a low-power, low-cost, continuous-wave laser to almost completely inhibit enamel demineralization. Novel methodologies to measure the real-time enamel temperature will be integral to the system. This hardware will be combined with model-based adaptive control software to precisely control the enamel temperature. In so doing, our innovation will maximize the effectiveness of treatment while improving ease of use and eliminating the risk of damage to sensitive tissues. The low cost of our innovation will enable increased access to critical caries management and treatment, which is of particular importance to high-risk children and adults. Our novel system will improve the affordability, access, effectiveness, practicality, and safety of caries prevention.