Researchers devised a new dental resin that is not readily broken down by saliva enzymes, according to C&EN.
Here are four things to know:
1. Researchers changed the chemistry of the new resin, allowing the material to last longer than conventional resins.
2. Researchers synthesized three ester-free versions of the resin and tested the new resins' resistance to degradation by putting samples of the novel monomer and their polymers and the standard methacrylate polymer in solutions of two esterase enzymes found in saliva.
3. One of the new polymers did not lose its mass or hardness after 16 days. The standard resin lost 2 percent of its mass and 17 percent of its hardness after 16 days.
4. Researchers are continuing to test the mechanical properties of the new polymer and analyzing how it holds up in actual saliva samples and when bacteria grows on the polymer.
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