The Advanced Dental Restorative Systems (ADRS) program project is collaboration between two institutions, the University Texas Health Science Center and Southwest Research Institute, both in San Antonio, Texas. The ADRS project is a multidiscipline team approach to develop an advanced restorative system that minimizes residual stresses, is tough and fracture-resistant, strengthens tooth structure, protects the pulp, is esthetic and biocompatible, and is suitable as a replacement for amalgam and conventional composite resins. The program consists of five research projects, a technical core and an admin core, with 7 specific aims: 1). Investigate liquid crystal monomers to produce resin materials with near-zero cure shrinkage (Project 1). 2). Investigate surface-modified metal oxide nanoparticles, such as zirconium oxide, metal oxide silicates, and mineral platelets, as a means of producing radiopaque, 'microfiller' particles for development of tough, wear-resistant, homogeneous resin composites (Project 2). 3). Investigate a biomimetic means to induce tertiary dentin as a protective barrier for the pulp, based on delivery of dentin inductive proteins or their analogs into a prepared tooth cavity (Project 3). 4). Investigate the failure modes, and mechanical and physical properties of experimental nanofilled and/or liquid crystal composites in comparison with current clinically successful restorative resins (Project 4). 5). Investigate mechanisms of cytotoxicity and biocompatibility of experimental pulp-protective treatments, nanofilled and/or liquid crystal composites in comparison with current successful clinical restorative materials (Project 5). 6). Develop practical restorative materials through synthesis of nanoparticles and liquid crystal monomers, formulation of these with traditional monomers and fillers, and/or with each other, and supply both materials to other areas of the ADRS program in a timely fashion (Core 2). 7). Develop one or more novel systems for cavity restoration by optimizing the combination of a biomimetic protective pulp barrier technique with a low shrinkage, nanofilled restorative resin (combined outcome of all projects).
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