GOVERNMENT OF INDIA GRANTS PATENT TO THE WORK OF BHU RESEARCHERS

Varanasi : Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that focuses on diagnosing and treating “bad bites.” Typical orthodontic treatments include various appliances such as braces, clear aligners, removable appliances etc. The way the jaw and teeth fit together has a significant impact on oral health. By improving how upper and lower teeth/jaw meet, risk for oral health issues may be significantly reduced, including cavities and gum diseases. Such treatments can be done at any age, however, 7-20 years is considered the ideal age for someone to undergo the treatment. Dentists commonly use braces for addressing the problems of patients regarding teeth positioning. Braces gradually shift the teeth into their desired positions over time using a combination of brackets, bands and wires. However, braces treatment is excruciating as one needs to apply tension on the teeth. This treatment is even more painful due to loss of traction through friction, which needs to be compensated using more force.

A team of researchers from BHU and IIT-BHU, comprising Prof T.P. Chaturvedi from the Orthodontic specialties of the Faculty of Dental sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, and Dr. Chandan Upadhyay from the School of Materials Science and Technology, IIT (BHU), has come up with a unique solution for reducing the frictional loss using a novel method. The invention relates to a friction-reducing coating on dental appliances. It relates to a coating of nanoparticles material on the orthodontic wire leading to a low frictional coefficient, high biocompatibility, corrosion resistance and low stiffness. The coating material reduces frictional loss by up to 40% compared to the state-of-the-art wire and increases the transfer ratio. This, in turn, reduces the associated pain related to the orthodontic treatment of the children, younger generation and helps to get better results. The present invention has been achieved through the Nano-particle coated orthodontic wire in which the coating material of TiO2 (Titanium oxide) nanoparticles is used. These nano-particles are biocompatible, thus posing no health risks.

A patent has been granted for this invention, by the patent office of the Government of India. The team has expressed gratitude for the support from Banaras Hindu University and IIT (BHU).