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Cariology Research Program

Led by Professor Ben Amaechi, our Cariology Research Program, through support from the industry and National Institutes of Health (NIH), has been engaged in the clinical trials of toothpastes, mouth rinses, dental materials and dental cleaning aids to assess their therapeutic values for dental caries, dental erosion and dentin hypersensitivity. We collaborate with the industry to develop and evaluate new technologies to aid in early detection, diagnosis and assessment of dental decays. 

The Latest Facts & Findings

Our clinical trials demonstrated the ability of two non-fluoride agents, theobromine from chocolate and nanohydroxyapatite, to prevent caries development and cause remineralization of early stage dental caries. Our group was instrumental in the development and evaluation of two technologies: the Canary System and the CS1600 (fluorescence imaging with reflectance enhancement technology) for early detection and monitoring of dental decay during treatment.

Approximately 6,000

patients screened per year at the dental school pre-doctoral and residents’ clinics form the source of the participants in our clinical studies, in addition to subjects from the San Antonio community. 

10

dental operatories are available for patient-centered clinical investigations.

Worldwide prevalence of dental caries stands at 60-90% for school children, and almost 100% for the adult population. Early detection enables dentists to employ effective prophylactic intervention to limit the progression and impact of the disease.

Professor Ben Amaechi

Research Details