This theme area includes biomaterials, restorative dentistry, and oral and maxillofacial surgery.
A diverse range of research topics is currently being investigated, ranging from dental biomaterials through to microbiological responses to biomaterials and tissue engineering of bone and oral mucosa. The research is both applied and basic, and concerned to a large extent with developing biomaterials, optimising cell and tissue interactions with the materials and, where possible, correlating this with the clinical behaviour.
Research is undertaken in a brand new suite of state-of-the-art laboratories, and many international as well as national research collaborations are in progress. Thus researchers in this area are exposed to the cutting edges of their fields of activity.
Research examples
Examples of research work in this area include:
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Investigating how dental ceramics may be optimised in the light of concurrent research into the factors influencing failure of dental ceramic restorations in clinical service (Dr William Palin, Dr Owen Addison).
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Developing novel techniques to monitor the optical and physical properties of curing resin-based dental materials in collaboration with Metallurgy and Materials (University of Birmingham) and the National Physical Laboratory, London (Dr William Palin and Dr Adrian Shortall). The efficacy of dental curing lights in polymerisation of resin composites (Palin and Shortall) and the effect of nano-size filler particle morphology,and fatigue characteristics of dental resin restoratives are also being investigated (Palin, Shortall and Addison).
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Using novel insights into the synthesis of nanoparticulate hydroxyapatite by bacteria in the development of high-strength bone replacements and coatings on metallic processes (Dr Rachel Sammons), in collaboration with the School of Biosciences. Dr Sammons is also researching the effects of dental implant surface topography on bone cell attachment and differentiation, whilst Dr Mike Hofmann is developing high-strength resorbable calcium phosphate bone cements.
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Tissue-engineering approaches for bone and oral mucosal replacement are being investigated (Dr Richard Shelton) and gene expression studies are helping understanding of cell behaviour in this context. This work with oral keratinocytes involves investigation of the influence of three-dimensional cultures and culture substrates on gene expression.
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The application of rapid prototyping to the development of a functional tissue engineered construction with cells located both within and on the surface of the scaffold (Shelton) in collaboration with Dr Yvonne Perrie (Aston University).
Related links
School of Dentistry website: www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/dentistry/