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dental research

At USC, a research team recently made an interesting and promising development. Plasma, the fourth stage of matter, can be used at room temperature to destroy. Exactly how plasma eradicates biofilm isn’t clear. However, Parish Sedghizadeh, contributing researcher, assistant professor of clinical dentistry, and Director of the USC Center for Biofilms, thinks that oxygen free radicals may disturb biofilm’s cellular membranes. A single-atom form of oxygen, called atomic oxygen, appears to be responsible for fighting the bacteria, which occur in complex colonies within biofilm. Because these colonies are protected by a “slimy matrix,” biofilm is impervious to traditional antibiotic therapy.

The nanosecond pulsed plasma dental probe can treat hard-to-reach areas, which makes it highly effective. Under a scanning electron microscope, evidence showed that plasma therapy produced “near pristine surfaces” in extracted teeth’s canals. Biofilm is responsible for many oral infections, and can also pose problems in other areas of the body. Ultimately, researchers hope the new finding can translate to medical applications, as well as dental procedures.

Plasma is most often thought of as a hot substance. In this research, an experimental room-temperature plasma was used to avoid harming tissues. The plasma probe emits a high kilovolt dose (less than two watts) of pulsed power each millisecond. After being exposed to the plasma for ten minutes, a tooth’s temperature rose only five degrees. This means plasma therapy does not pose the burning risks and eye damage associated with laser therapy. The plasma is safe to handle.

Read the full article, “Promising New Tool for Fighting Infections” at MedicalNewsToday.com.