Developing advanced dental materials for better dental restorations
Official title: Virtual Twin-Powered Rapid Development of Bioactive Multifunctional Dental Restoratives
Funded at Ada Forsyth Institute, INC. · NIH-10991532 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on new dental materials that are strong, easy to use, and made just for you, so they can help fix your teeth and keep them healthy for longer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ada Forsyth Institute, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $1,297,941 |
| NIH project number | 1RM1DE034233-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10991532 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals requiring dental restorations, particularly those with specific oral health challenges.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with no need for dental restorations or those who do not have access to dental care may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating innovative dental restoration materials that are long-lasting, easy to use, and tailored to individual patients' oral conditions. By utilizing advanced technology, the project aims to develop a platform that allows for the rapid and precise creation of these materials, which will include self-strengthening adhesives and bioactive fillers. The approach integrates computer modeling and simulations to streamline the material design process, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness and accessibility of dental care. Patients can expect materials that not only repair damage but also actively prevent further dental issues.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and durable dental restorations, improving overall dental health and patient satisfaction.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in developing advanced dental materials, but this approach is particularly novel in its integration of AI and rapid material development.
Where this research is happening
-
Ada Forsyth Institute, INC.
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sun, Jirun — Ada Forsyth Institute, INC.
- Study coordinator: Sun, Jirun
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
From Symbiosis to Dysbiosis: How Resolving Inflammation Could Restore Your Mouth’s Balance
This grant explores how turning off the harmful inflammation in periodontitis and promoting natural healing could help restore the mouth’s healthy balance.
-
Foundation for the Oral Microbiome and Metagenome
A research initiative to create and share high-quality genomic data and bacterial isolates from the mouth so scientists can understand how oral microbes affect overall health, including brain aging and diseases like Alzheimer's.
-
Caries resistance in Indigenous children: what protects their teeth
This project looks at why some high-risk Indigenous children have fewer cavities and how oral bacteria and tooth biology might work together to prevent decay.
-
Gut and saliva health: using gut bacteria to help Sjögren's syndrome
A study tests whether manipulating gut bacteria or their byproducts can protect and improve saliva gland function in people with Sjögren’s syndrome.
-
Understanding TM7 bacteria in the mouth and how they affect gum disease
This grant studies TM7 bacteria in the human mouth to learn how they interact with other bacteria and influence gum inflammation.
-
Spatial Organization of the Oral Microbiome
A research project at a leading medical institute studies how the tiny mouth bacteria are arranged in the tongue and teeth and how this arrangement affects mouth and overall health.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.