Reduced costs with nano-engineered dental implants

The complications and high costs associated with dental implants could be a thing of the past as Griffith University research aims to reduce the associated risks of infection using new cutting-edge nanotechnology.

The study is being led by Dr Karan Gulati from the university’s School of Dentistry and Oral Health/Menzies Health Institute Queensland.

“The technology I am using enables me to nano-engineer the surface of commercially established implants with nanotubes, which can later be loaded with drugs such as antibiotics or proteins for maximised therapeutic effect.

“When these are inserted into the patient’s jaw, they improve soft- and hard-tissue integration and therefore dramatically decrease the likelihood of oral microbes being able to enter the tissue,” said Dr Gulati. “Based on the initial results, we expect to achieve early implant stability and long-term success of such therapeutic dental implants,” he said.

“The overall costs to the patient are expected to be reduced, considering that there will be no expenses associated with follow-up drug treatment, cleaning of possible bacterial attachment or correction of implant failure,” he said.

Clinical trials are planned to commence in 2017.