STTR Phase I: Innovative Expandable Dental Sealer

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is in developing a novel dental sealer technology for root canal treatments for endodontists and general dentists. The complex and inaccessible nature of the root canal system causes 65% of root canal fillings to fail. Expandable dental sealers used during root canal treatments provide an effective solution by filling the gaps in the canal space by preventing leakage, enabling clinicians to perform the procedure with greater ease and accuracy. This project’s commercial impact includes an addressable market of 22.3 million root canal treatments annually. The proposed innovation supports enhanced patient safety, reduced time at the dentists'/endodontists' office and decreased costs for patients, reduced risk of infection and retreatment, and advanced capabilities of clinicians through training. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will characterize the expansion and other properties of the patented elastomeric polyurethane sealer (EPS). The project will begin by generating a functionalized and optimized formula of the EPS using additive ingredients. The team will perform in vitro testing to evaluate the material’s physicochemical properties. Finally, the study will establish the in vivo histocompatibility of EPS using animal models and check its cytotoxicity, a key hurdle that must be overcome before clinical evaluation and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) registration. These studies will facilitate the development of an entirely new type of dental sealer. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.