Young Volgograd scientist doubles service life of dental prostheses

A postgraduate at Volgograd State University, in the Lower Volga area, has applied her own nanotech-based know-how to double the service life of dental prostheses and filling material

Lusine Elbakian, a postgraduate at the forensic analysis and material science chair of Volgograd State University, in the Lower Volga area, has applied her own nanotech-based know-how to double the service life of dental prostheses and filling material, regional portal Evening Volgograd.ru reported. At the heart of Ms. Elbakian?s technology is adding very strong carbon nanotubes to existing dental plastics. The nanotubes, just a few dozen nanometers in diameter, are already in demand in not only medicine but in electronics and robotics as well. ?A carbon nanotube?s unique advantages include its ability to create compounds that are next to diamonds in strength. We expect a breakthrough in stomatology when applying the new material to making superstrong prostheses and very durable fillings,? said Irina Zaporotskova, a senior research fellow at the university. In her experiments, Ms. Elbakian would add grinded nanotubes to a material that is typically used to make temporary prostheses and fillings. The experiments have reportedly proved the strength of such new prostheses and fillings at least doubles...