Early tests on a new coating for orthodontic brackets and wires developed by researchers at New York University College of Dentistry, New York City, suggest that the coating could inhibit plaque growth and decalcification without decreasing the bond strength between brackets and teeth.
The coating is made from a calcium phosphate base that releases zinc onto orthodontic appliances and the surrounding teeth. Zinc inhibits the growth of acid-producing bacteria that demineralize teeth, and it minimizes dental calculus formation. The coating would be inexpensive to produce, would not require U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval and could be marketed pending patent approval and further testing in patients, said principal investigator Racquel Z. LeGeros, PhD, professor of biomaterials and biomimetics at NYU.
According to NYU’s press release, this is believed to be the first time that such a calcium-phosphate coating has been studied. Efforts to stem plaque and calculus formation in orthodontic patients with other methods—such as applying fluoride-releasing tooth varnishes or performing laser therapy around brackets—have had limited success and have diminished bond strength in some cases.
