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3D-Printed Teeth Can Kill 99% of Dental Bacteria (thestack.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the cleanest-mouth dept.

An anonymous reader writes: A research group in the Netherlands has developed a new plastic resin that can destroy most dental bacteria when used for the creation of dental appliances via 3D-printing. The process involves embedding antimicrobial quaternary ammonium salts inside extant dental resin polymers. Since the salts are positively charged, these disrupt negatively-charged bacterial membranes. The process is also being mooted for use in the creation of knee arthroplasties, and in the manufacture of children's toys and food packaging.

4 of 120 comments (clear)

  1. Amm... printed Teeth? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think by the time you *need* printed teeth, the bacteria pretty much has done its thing.

    1. Re:Amm... printed Teeth? by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I think by the time you *need* printed teeth, the bacteria pretty much has done its thing.

      Yeah, but then you can bite people without infecting them.

  2. Mooted: who knew? by rmdingler · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I would suggest weighing the long range effects of a bactericidal compound versus the perceived benefits of some form of germ free existence.

    The role(s) played by bacteria in the ecosystem that is a mammalian body are even now not completely understood...

    and microorganisms show a valiant ability to evolve around attempts to exterminate them.

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

  3. Re:Because evolution doesn't exist by cdrudge · · Score: 5, Informative

    I have a friend who's jaw bone became infected after bacteria decided to take up residence under some dental caps. She's been fighting for over 3 years to get things corrected and has had multiple surgeries where they peeled her gums back so that they could shave the bone down to remove the infection. This is in addition to needing to get new temporary caps every couple of months as she couldn't get her semi-permanent ones until the infection was completely cleared up.

    She was really excited when I showed her an article about this technology several days ago not because it would help her with what she was going through, but some day it might help others not to have to go through what she went through.

    The substance isn't suppose to take the place of regular dental hygiene, or to kill off everything. But if it can help kill off bacteria in hard to reach/clean locations which is pretty common with implants and braces, then that's a good thing.