What’s New in Denture Adhesives: Octopus Tentacles?
By Hilarie Galloway, DMD
Introduction
Denture adhesives are often used by denture wearers to improve the comfort and fit of dentures. They help to “glue” dentures in place to reduce denture movement and slipping, which is particularly important when a patient is eating or speaking. Retention plays a large role in patient confidence and satisfaction with their dentures. Researchers are looking to nature for ways to improve denture fit and function without using the current standard, goopy adhesives. One specific technique being studied at King’s College London utilizes technology that mimics octopus tentacles to improve the suction of the denture to the patient’s soft tissue. This exciting innovation is an example of one technique being studied to improve overall denture retention. European Denture Center is committed to offering the latest solutions in denture technology and staying up to date on the most recent improvements so that we can pass along this knowledge to our patients.
The Evolution of Denture Adhesives
Denture adhesives have been in use since the late 18th century. Adhesives were initially made of vegetable gums, which absorbed saliva to form a gel-like substance in the mouth. Adhesives are currently on the market in powder or cream form. Powders absorb saliva and swell to create a gel-like adhesive (similar to the vegetable gums of years ago), while creams are more evenly spread and can improve stability over powders. Traditional adhesives, whether in powder or cream form, have challenges that include comfort, durability, and long-term effectiveness. Patients generally don’t love the gooey feeling of denture adhesiv,e and it can be challenging to clean out of the denture. Adhesives also must be reapplied fairly frequently as they wash out of dentures and don’t hold up well over time. Dentists and patients alike would prefer more natural-feeling and long-lasting denture adhesives to improve patient comfort and function.
Nature as Inspiration: Octopus Tentacles Technology
Researchers at King’s College London were inspired by nature when trying to improve retention for denture wearers. They studied suction cups on octopus tentacles, which allow an octopus to attach themselves to rocks and similar items in the ocean under otherwise slippery conditions. The suction cups on octopus tentacles create a vacuum that holds tight to objects they affix themselves to – the King’s College London researchers applied this technology to dentures. They adapted the suction-cup inspiration to dentures by 3D printing dentures with tiny suction-cup shapes on their internal surface. In their research, they found that retention was significantly improved with the suction cup dentures in comparison to traditional dentures. They also studied surface materials of dentures and found that coating traditional plastic dentures in keratin (the material that makes up hair and nails) added retention through a chemical bond with the keratin present in the soft tissue of the mouth. In this study, they were able to add a thin enough layer of keratin so as not to impact the appearance of the dentures.
Suction cup-inspired adhesives have advantages over traditional adhesive methods. Stability was found to be significantly increased in suction cup dentures – retention was twice what it was with traditional dentures, though not strong enough to prevent the removal of the dentures from patients’ mouths altogether. Removing traditional denture adhesive from the equation also allows for reduced oral irritation, which comes along with denture adhesives, and the plaque/debris, which also becomes attached to the adhesive over time. Improvements in the technology used for denture retention can allow for longer-lasting adhesion without the use of chemical adhesives, which can be difficult to clean and annoying to patients.
Benefits for Denture Wearers
This improved technology could offer significant benefits to denture wearers, especially enhanced comfort and confidence. Denture patients would benefit from improved eating, speaking, and overall daily wear experience, which would improve confidence. They would also benefit from not having to reapply denture adhesives as frequently. This improved technology would be better able to adapt to differences in gum texture and moisture levels in the mouth as well, which would be especially helpful for denture users with dry mouth or other oral conditions. Overall, increased retention without gunky adhesives would improve the denture wearer’s patient experience and quality of life with dentures.
European Denture Center’s Commitment to Innovation
European Denture Center is committed to innovation and focuses on staying at the forefront of cutting-edge technology. As part of this, we feel that patients need to be educated about new advancements, such as the octopus-inspired adhesives featured in this article. European Denture Center knows how important it is to be able to offer tailored solutions to meet the needs of individual patients and takes great pride in offering the best technology available to our patients.
What’s Next for Denture Adhesives?
Technology is constantly changing the future of dental care, and dentures are no exception. Researchers will continue to be inspired by nature in their quest for improvements in dental care. There is the potential for integrating octopus-inspired technology into mainstream denture products, especially as the use of 3D scanning and printing/milling technology continues to become more widely utilized. Other advancements in denture adhesive technology include improved retention based on detailed scans taken with intraoral scanners (rather than the traditional impressions to create models) and improvements in biocompatible materials used in dentures. The keratin study by King’s College London researchers is also exciting in the possibility it provides for improved retention without impacting esthetics in denture cases. The future holds promising improvements for the world of denture adhesives, and patients will certainly benefit from ongoing research and new materials and technology.
Why Choose Eurodenture for Your Denture Needs?
Eurodenture has years of experience and expertise in denture solutions, which keeps us at the top of our industry. We stay at the forefront of technology to provide the best care available to our patients. Book a consultation today at https://eurodenture.com/ or give us a call at 866-428-0505 to explore our innovative denture solutions and find the fit and product that are right for you.
