Research conducted by UW Bioengineering professor Dr. James Bryers and collaborators in the UW School of Dentistry, which aimed to discover new ways to use titanium-based materials to fight oral bacteria, has resulted in a recently patented antibacterial agent.
The researchers studied a novel class of substances called titanates and peroxotitanates, which can inhibit bacterial growth when bound to metal ions. The materials could incorporated into a gel or a solution applied by a dentist after a procedure such as a root canal or a filling, reducing the chance of infection or tooth decay at the site. Aside from applications in dentistry, the materials could one day be used in treatments for internal organs.