ADA Forsyth Institute awarded grant to develop smart materials for dental fillings with the help of AI

The future of dental fillings

The National Institute of Oral and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) just awarded the ADA Forsyth Institute (AFI) a $6.2 million grant to develop next-generation smart materials for dental fillings with the help of AI. Although the dental industry has dabbled in artificial intelligence before, this project is one of the first applications of AI for oral health research with the goal of accelerating the testing and development process.¹

The AFI's new grant, funded under the RM1 mechanism, will create a viable material for fillings that can replace amalgam—which is slowly being phased out in many dental offices. Since current alternative restorative filling materials are expensive to use and must be frequently replaced, scientists are designing a new material that are easy to use and universally accessible.¹

A new generation of dental composite

According to biomaterials expert Dr. Jirun Sun this new dental composite can automatically respond to changing conditions in each patient's mouth and reverse any imbalances. It has self-healing and antimicrobial properties that use nanofillers to react to biological signals.¹

For example, it will be able to detect and repair a crack developing in a filling or counteract an overabundance of acid in a patient's mouth.¹

Dr. Raymond Cohlmia, Executive Director of the ADA and Chair of AFI's board of directors, believes this material will be the backbone of a new generation of dental composite.

"This smart material could revolutionize dental care and drastically improve patient outcomes." He said. "The future of dental restorations-and so much more-is happening now. I'm so proud that AFI is at the forefront."¹

The future of AI in dentistry

Although initially founded to provide dental care to disadvantaged children in Boston, the AFI (originally called the Forsyth Dental Infirmary for Children) is now the world's leader in oral health research.¹

Dedicated to scientific advancement, the scope of this project will not stop at dental composite; the AFI also plans to use their new grant to facilitate more AI and deep learning endeavors, from research on managing drug-resistant biofilm to aberrant immunological host response.¹

This innovative work positions the AFI at the forefront of dental transformation, paving the way for a future where AI-driven materials can revolutionize oral health.

Reference

1. NIH awards ADA Forsyth over $6 million to design AI-driven amalgam replacement for dental restoratives. Newswise. September 2024. https://www.newswise.com/articles/nih-awards-ada-forsyth-over-6-million-to-design-ai-driven-amalgam-replacement-for-dental-restoratives