The Opportunity: Improving Outcomes for Knocked-Out Teeth
Each year, children and adolescents lose teeth during sports injuries, falls, and other accidents. When a permanent tooth is knocked out, the periodontal ligament (PDL) cells surrounding the tooth root begin to die rapidly, significantly reducing the likelihood of successful reimplantation and long-term tooth survival. There is a need for a more effective and affordable solution that can be readily deployed in schools, athletic facilities, first aid kits, emergency settings, and dental offices.
The Technology & Current Status
This patented preservation medium was inspired by the remarkable survival mechanisms of tardigrades (water bears) that can survive extreme dehydration using protective sugars like trehalose. This proprietary sugar-based formulation contains trehalose, glucose, and additional biologically supportive ingredients that preserve PDL cell viability following tooth avulsion.
The technology maintained over 60% PDL cell viability after 48 hours, significantly exceeding the performance of existing commercial products. The formulation can also be provided as a stable powder for extended shelf life and convenient deployment.
Key Value Proposition: More effective preservation, longer intervention window, longer shelf life, and potential for substantially lower cost than existing commercial alternatives, enabling broader adoption in schools, athletic programs, first aid kits, and emergency care settings.