Dental fillings are used to repair the damage caused by tooth decay. The decayed portion of the tooth is removed and the remaining hole is filled with the restoration material. However, these fillings do not last a lifetime. They may crack or loosen, and additional decay may develop in the surround tooth.

Among the most common restorative materials is composite resin. Composite resin is composed of glass or quartz fillers and an acrylic plastic material. A decay-fighting additive is included in many composites. The additive releases a steady supply of calcium and phosphate ions, which strengthen the surrounding tooth and help prevent further decay. However, these additives are structurally weak, and their addition to the composite mix weakens the filling as a whole.

Researchers at the American Dental Association's Paffenbarger Research Center, a joint research program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), have developed new forms of the decay-fighting additive that are 20 times smaller than the additive currently in use. Due to their smaller size, far fewer of these nanoparticles are required than their predecessors for the same effect. This allows more room for the stronger materials in the composites, resulting in a composite material that is stronger, overall. According to the Paffenbarger scientists, these newly developed nanocomposites may be nearly twice as strong as the variety currently available to dentists.

This study was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Dental Research.

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