Scientific EMU: acquisition of a 3D digital transverse microrradiography equipment for analysis of the mineral content of the dental tissues

• Grant number: 22/11194-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Infrastructure Program - Scientific
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2030
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Social and Preventive Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Marília Afonso Rabelo Buzalaf
• Grantee: Marília Afonso Rabelo Buzalaf
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Marlise Inêz Klein Furlan ; Roberto Ruggiero Braga
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/16045-8 - Evaluation of the Protective Potential of CaneCPI-5, with or without Fluoride, in the Prevention of Demineralization and Remineralization of Artificial Caries Lesions: An In Situ Study.", BP.TT

Abstract

The proposal aims to develop the multi-user equipment digital three-dimensional transverse microradiography (TMRD-3D) for analysis of the mineral content of dental tissues, which can also be used for the analysis of bone tissue fragments and biomaterials. Transverse microradiography (TMR) is considered the gold standard for the analysis of caries lesions produced in vitro or in situ, since the mineral content values for dental tissues are already established and, from them, it is possible to calculate how much mineral tissue has been lost or won. Bauru School of Dentistry (FOB) has the only TMR equipment available in Latin America, which has been widely used by researchers in South America. However, the equipment requires the use of glass plates for development, which are difficult to acquire and, with the advent of digital equipment (TMRD), the equipment will fall into disuse in a short time, hence the need to acquire digital equipment. The equipment to be built, in addition to being digital, will be three-dimensional, having a table with rotating capacity in the X/Y/Z/teta axes, capable of photographing dental tissue samples from all sides/surfaces, in addition to being connected to a software which processes the images in a very high-quality 3D format and performs a three-dimensional tomographic reconstruction of the mineral profile of dental tissues. The new equipment to be developed will be the first instrument to combine the advantages of TMRD (high precision and reproducibility for quantification of mineral loss, depth of carious lesion, thickness and degree of mineralization of the surface layer; automatic scanning of aluminum stepwedge; quick and easy to use; 2D analysis of several dental sections at the same time - although in this case it would be the 100-µm thick sections) with those of the micro computed tomography (µCT) (3D analysis of 3-mm thick specimens; non-destructive analysis, making possible longitudinal experiments), and will become the new gold standard for the analysis of carious lesions in vitro and in situ. It should be noted that the TMRD-3D has several advantages over the µCT for the analysis of carious lesions, because: 1) the µCT does not have a good resolution for the superficial region of the specimens; 2) scanning with the TMRD-3D is much faster and 3) the software coupled with the TMRD-3D is designed to provide data on the mineral profile of caries lesions in a much more targeted way. Analyzes will be performed with more precision, reproducibility, ease, and speed compared to those performed with equipment currently available on the market (TMRD). Furthermore, the possibility of determining the depth and % of mineral volume of the initial caries lesions prior to the beginning of the experiments, as well as carrying out longitudinal evaluations, will increase the international scientific competitiveness of the publications generated with the use of the equipment, as well as the demand for its use in partnerships with the industry, bringing highly positive impacts to research in the area of Cariology in the state of São Paulo, allowing a rapid advance of knowledge and publication in journals with higher impact factors, which will have increased citation rates. In addition, we will be the only Institution in the world, initially, to have the equipment, which will become the new gold standard for the analysis of carious lesions. This will place us at the forefront of Cariology worldwide. Since the development of the TMRD-3D equipment will be done jointly between Inspektor Research Systems and FOB, the company, which already owns the intellectual property rights over the TMRD, undertakes to share the intellectual property rights over the new technology with USP. (AU)