Microbial Caries Model
In Vitro Microbial Caries Models for Studying Caries Formation
Field of Application: Therapeutic & Restorative Dental Materials & Testing
Marketplace: Industry needs a reliable model that can predict the clinical behavior of caries in relation to various restorative materials and preventive regimens used by practicing dentists. Industries with therapeutic preventive products are in need of a reliable in vitro model which would allow investigation of the cause and prevention of primary and secondary dental caries, as well as dental plaque and bacterial metabolism. Our models have the following characteristics:
- ease of sterilization of the different components;
- ability to manipulate the model components under sterile conditions;
- ease of access to test specimens;
- reproducibility of experiments; and
- adequate simulation of the oral environment
Technology Research and Development Description: In vitro microbial models developed to produce carious lesions for the investigation of the microbial etiology and prevention of dental caries. The models can be used to study either primary or secondary caries (in enamel and root surfaces). The model can also be used to test complex biofilms and their effects and responses to different environmental conditions on the tooth structure.
Market Advantage: The microbial models have been developed at the Indiana University School of Dentistry's Oral Health Research Institute, one of the worlds best known product testing sites and has published data demonstrating its value for predicting clinical efficacy. They can be used to study the microbial etiology and prevention of dental caries. Advantages serving to validate these caries models include the following:
- significant relevance to observations in human oral environment;
- one investigator can conduct efficient and simultaneous studies with many variables: nutrients, fluoride solutions, bacterial populations, and antimicrobial agents;
- easy sterilization and assembly process resulting in effective contamination prevention;
Related laboratory models: Further information and data are available regarding other modified and defined laboratory models that can result in the evaluation of the following:
- the impact of non-fluoride systems, including antimicrobial agents;
- the effect of fluoride on root-surface caries; and
- the study of relationship between biofilms and many preventive agents.
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