PENANG, Jun 2014 – A team of researchers from Universiti Sains Malaysia’s (USM) School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering (PPKBSM) has developed a type of dental resin composite (DRC) fillings made entirely from local materials.

This product called MyUSMDental Fillings was the result of thorough research and development work for nearly two years carried out by the team led by principal researcher and lecturer of PPKBSM, Profesor Dr. Zainal Arifin Ahmad.

According to Zainal Arifin, the newly formulated MyUSMDental Fillings is made of Bis-phenol A-glycidyl dimethacrylate (Bis-GMA) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) with specially treated silica, alumina and zirconia particles.

“It is able to repair and restore damaged teeth besides inhibiting bacteria growth in the mouth without causing any side-effects or alergic reactions in patients.

“Furthermore, the cost of MyUSMDental Fillings is 50% cheaper compare to the cheapest DRCs commercially available in the market,” said Zainal Arifin, citing that the price for a tube of 4g of traditional resin composite fillings vary from RM100 to RM200, depending on the brand and type.

Zainal Arifin was present here with his co-researchers - PPKBSM lecturer, Profesor Dr. Hazizan Md Akil and his Ph.D. student, Saad Omar Alsharif - at a press conference to showcase their innovation which bagged a gold medal at the 25th International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX) 2014 held in Kuala Lumpur last month.

Besides being safer and cheaper, Zainal Arifin said that this resin-type fillings lasts much longer than the regular fillings as it has lower water absorption and water solubility rates; in fact the filling process takes only 80 seconds and is able to last for four years for the front teeth and about eight years for the back teeth.

“MyUSMDental Fillings also has superior fracture toughness, flexural strength, hardness, radiopacity, thermal properties and biocompatibility,” added Zainal Arifin.

This product was one of the research products being selected to be exhibited at the Research University Carnival held on 13-14 June 2014 at the USM research campus, also known as SAINS@USM, Bukit Jambul, Penang.

MyUSMDental Fillings has tremendous commercialisation potential and is expected to be available in the market next year. - Translation: Tan Ewe Hoe/Text: Nor Rafizah Md. Zain/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md. Isa