
What Are Nanodiamonds?
Nanodiamonds are tiny soccer ball shaped diamonds, usually created as a byproduct of mining and refining operations or from impact events such as an explosion. In order for it to be effective in medical applications, nanodiamonds must be smaller than 5 nanometers in diameter but still have a relatively large surface area so that they can bond with other materials.
How Will Nanodiamonds Make Dental Implants More Effective?
One of the main problems when someone loses their teeth is that the jawbone surrounding that tooth begins to deteriorate, largely due to a decrease in blood flow to the area. So far the best way to minimize this bone loss is to replace the missing tooth with a titanium implant. Titanium implants are biocompatible, allowing them to fuse together with the surrounding bone structure over a period of about 3 to 6 months, however, they do not promote the growth of new bone tissue in the deteriorated jawbone. This sometimes results in implants becoming loose and falling out.