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APPLIED ORAL SCIENCES · IMMUNOLOGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES · MICROBIOLOGY · MINERALIZED TISSUE BIOLOGY
Improving health through innovative
research, community care, and education
in oral and related biomedical science.
AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY
R EDLIGHT
TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION
VALUE PROPOSITION
The invention relates to a handheld dental device that
provides photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT, the use of
light and oxygen to inactivate microorganisms, has been
in use for more than 100 years. Researchers at the
Forsyth Institute have proposed the use of visible light as
a bactericidal mediator in vivo to eliminate dental plaque
pathogens by activating a photosensitizing agent that
has been taken up by bacterial cells. The new device is
composed of an optic fiber, which emits light at a
wavelength ranging from about 650 nm to about 1400
nm, and at least one oxygen source. Oxygen and light
are provided at the applicator tip simultaneously. The
device is used to eliminate/reduce bacteria which cause
oral disease or conditions, such as endodontic treatment
failures. Endodontic failures are caused by the
proliferation of residual bacteria that are left behind
within the root canal due to the complexity of the root
canal system that makes complete debridement with
instrumentation and irrigation alone almost impossible.
More than two million root canal re-treatments due to
residual microorganisms are performed yearly in the US.
We envision the application of PDT in endodontic
procedures within the clinic.
The
novel
use
of
360º
transmitted
DEVELOPMENT STATUS
In studies conducted at Forsyth, PDT has been used, in
combination with methylene blue (MB), on multispecies root canal biofilms in experimentally infected
root canals of extracted human teeth in vitro; 80%
reductions in colony-forming units were seen after PDT
treatment. PDT + MB combination therapy has also
been investigated to assess the viability of human
gingival fibroblasts and osteoblasts in vitro. Treatment
of naturally infected, extracted human teeth ex vivo
with PDT also showed substantial reductions in residual
bacteria.
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O2
O2
O2
Intellectual Property
PCT/US13/32348: “Handheld Device for Delivering
Photodynamic Therapy” – filed 3/15/13
Inventor
Dr. Nikolaos Soukos, DDS, PhD
Dr. Philip Stashenko, DMD, PhD
Contact
Sean Cotton, MEng
Technology Development Manager
T 617.892.8360
[email protected]
and
the potential to dramatically improve success rates of
current endodontic procedures, saving both patient
and practitioner considerable amounts of time and
money.
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
O2
light
simultaneous oxygen flow within this technology has
Adjunct procedure after routine
endodontic treatment (i.e. root canal)
Photochemotherapeutic system for
treatment of periodontitis.
Nano-photomedicine and therapeutics
COMMERCIAL MARKETS
Up to 1/3 of root canal failures appear to be
due to persistent bacterial infection in the root
space or within the bone (osteomyelitis) of the
affected tooth. A 10% reduction in the rate of
root canal failure (~2 million re-treatment
procedures) could potentially represent an
annual patient savings of $400 million (using an
estimate of $750 per re-treatment based on
current dental costs). The primary market
includes dental practitioners (general dentists
and endodontists – currently close to 136,000
individuals), while dental device manufacturers
represent a viable secondary market for the
invention.
Chair-side
application
Shorter
treatment
times
2 million retreatments…
Eliminated
$400
million
Dr. Nikolaos Soukos, DDS, PhD
Director, Applied Molecular Photomedicine Laboratory
Department of Applied Oral Sciences
T 617.892.8467
[email protected]
Patient
savings