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6/14/2017 |
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Prefabricated Blood Vessels Could Revolutionize Root Canals |
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Prefabricated Blood Vessels Could Revolutionize Root Canals
by Tim Sandle
Root canal surgery can help to save teeth. The downside is that teeth can become brittle and they can eventually fracture. A new process, involving the engineering of new blood vessels in teeth, could prevent this.
The new process comes from the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), which is located in Portland. With the process medical scientists have created a technique to engineer new blood vessels in the teeth. Currently with root canal surgery, a dentist will attempt to remove infected dental tissues and replacing them with synthetic biological materials. These constructs are later covered with a protective crown.
The downside of this, Dr. Luiz Bertassoni explains, is that the "process eliminates the tooth’s blood and nerve supply, rendering it lifeless and void of any biological response or defense mechanism. Without this functionality, adult teeth may be lost much sooner, which can result in much greater concerns, such as the need for dentures or dental implants."
To overcome this issue, Dr. Bertassoni has turned to 3D printing technology.
Read full article on Digital Journal.
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