DENTAID, a pioneer company in the research and development of oral hygiene products, is committed to improving oral health throughout the population. Thanks to this spirit of innovation and its close collaboration with the best professionals and universities, DENTAID has entered the world of nanotechnology, by developing the all new DENTAID^® nanorepair technology.

What do we mean by nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology is the study, design, creation, synthesis, manipulation and application of materials, equipment and functional systems through the control of matter and the exploitation of phenomena and its properties, on a nanometric scale (nanoscale).

What is a nanometer?

A nanometer is one thousandth of a micron, that is, one billionth of a meter (10-9 m), in other words, one millionth of a millimetre. To get an idea of how small this unit is, take as an example that a human hair is 800 nanometers thick. 

What advantages does nanotechnology offer?

Nanotechnology allows us to access new properties that are only expressed on a nanometric scale. On this scale, materials can express unusual or distinctive physical, chemical and biological properties that differ greatly from raw materials and from atoms or isolated molecules. For example, micro sized or larger gold is solid, but on a nanometric scale it is liquid. These new and fascinating properties that appear on the nanoscale open up possibilities for new applications and benefits.

DENTAID^® nanorepair technology is based on hydroxyapatite nanoparticles that provide extensive benefits in tooth sensitivity and whitening, among others.

What are its applications?

Nanotechnology has a great number of applications in the fields of medicine, electronics, environment, energy, space, automotive, textile, the development of molecules, of food products, cosmetics and consumer products, chemical sensors, batteries, etc.  

For example, medicine is benefiting from the application of nanotechnology in the development of mechanisms for site-specific drug administration, biomarkers that detect cancer cells, glucose-sensitive nanoparticles that can be injected subcutaneously to continuously measure blood glucose.In the textile industry, with the manufacture of garments that repel stains and dirt, nanocomposites offer advantages in weight and durability for the manufacture of parts for the automotive industry.

Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles seal open dentinal tubules that appear when dental sensitivity exists

How does DENTAID apply nanotechnology to its products?

DENTAID has developed the all new DENTAID^® nanorepair technology, based on the properties of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles.

What is a nanoparticle?

A nanoparticle is defined as a particle whose 3 dimensions are on the nanometric scale (1 – 100nm).

What is hydroxyapatite?

Hydroxyapatite, a natural calcium phosphate, is the third most abundant element in the human body and the main component of bone tissue (60% in weight) and of dental tissue (in weight, constitutes 95-97% of enamel, 65-70% of dentin and 50-60% of cementum). 

What are the possible applications of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles?

Being that they are an element that is naturally found in teeth, that they are capable of integrating with tooth enamel and they are nano-sized, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles are able to remineralise the dentin surface and block dentinal tubules, progressively reducing the number of permeable tubules. They integrate and restore the mineral density of the demineralised enamel surface, making the surface smoother and brighter, and in turn, making teeth whiter.

For these reasons, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles are very effective in the treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity and in dental whitening.

The all new DENTAID^® nanorepair technology is based on the properties of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles which have been incorporated in different formulas. The main benefits of its application are the elimination of dentinal hypersensitivity and tooth enamel whitening.

DENTINAL HYPERSENSITIVITY - DENTAID® nanorepair technology

Dentinal hypersensitivity has been described as an intense and transitory pain that is brought about as a consequence of the exposure of dentin to external thermal stimuli (hot or cold foods or drinks), chemical stimuli (sweet or sour foods or drinks), tactile stimuli (pressure from fingers or toothbrushes or from dental instruments, etc.), and osmotic stimuli, that clearly cannot not be associated with any other cause (other defect, infection or dental disease). The aetiology of dentinal hypersensitivity is multifactorial and is related to an increase in permeability of the dentin caused by its demineralisation or by gingival recession.

Of all the proposed theories for explaining dentinal hypersensitivity, the most widely accepted is that proposed by Brännström (1966). According to his theory, fluid displacement, either outward or inward, within the dentinal tubules, which is known as dentinal permeability, causes changes to occur in the hydrodynamic pressure transmitted by these to the pulp, which stimulate nerve receptors in the pulp area, which in turn, produce painful impulses. Hypersensitive teeth have eight times as many open dentinal tubules and a tubular diameter that is double the width compared to healthy teeth.

Before prescribing a desensitising treatment, dentists perform a differential diagnosis of the dental hypersensitivity, determine its cause and assess the degree of tooth destruction.

Treatments applied by dentists in the office block the exposed tubules, ultimately eliminating the dentinal hypersensitivity. These include glass ionomers, composite resin adhesives (bonding composites), oxalates, graft or gum flap surgery (periodontal surgery), laser and even endodontia.

At-home treatments for dental hypersensitivity that can be used by dentists as well, include potassium-, strontium- and fluoride-based compounds. These are generally found to be commercially available in toothpastes and mouthwashes.

Now DENTAID has made a new formula using the DENTAID^® nanorepair technology, based on hydroxyapatite nanoparticles. These hydroxyapatite nanoparticles are able to deposit themselves on the enamel surface and seal exposed dentinal tubules found in sensitive teeth, therefore blocking the transmission of external stimuli to the pulpal nerve endings, preventing pain.They form a wash-resistant protective layer from the first application.

All of this ensures repair of the enamel surface, and consequently, elimination of the pain from dental sensitivity.

Tooth Enamel Whitening - DENTAID® Nanorepair Technology

Having whiter teeth has become one of the biggest demands in dentistry, because tooth discolouration can ruin a healthy smile. 

A tooth that is in good condition is somewhere between white and yellowish. Teeth get their colour from the dentin, which is much more opaque than the enamel.

A tooth’s translucency or opacity depends on the composition of the enamel – if crystal dominates its composition, the tooth will be more translucent, whereas if it is the organic matter that dominates, it will be more opaque and white. Also, teeth whose enamel is thicker will be less translucent and brighter.

The enamel surface is also important in defining the colour of teeth, because if a tooth is smooth and shaped normally, it will be brighter, while if the surface has irregularities it will be duller and darker, since the reflection of light loses its intensity when it hits the enamel surface.

Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles provide a better whitening effect and make surface smoother and more even

Teeth can change colour over time from enamel wear, making the dentin more visible. Also, aging can cause the dentin itself to change to a more orange tone.Stains (intrinsic or extrinsic) may also change the colour of teeth.

Intrinsic stains occur inside the dental tissue. These are stains that appear during tooth calcification due to various causes: disease (liver abnormalities), excess fluoride intake, antibiotics such as tetracycline, etc.

Extrinsic stains are formed on the surface of teeth and are due to substances depositing on the enamel.

They are caused by the intake of certain foods or drinks that are rich in tannins (coffee, tea, wine, etc.), tobacco smoking, chromogenic bacteria, poor oral hygiene habits, etc. The change in tooth colour in this case is superficial, not affecting the structural composition of related teeth.Tooth enamel whitening can be performed in the dental office using specific procedures based on laser technology, microabrasion or the application of a chemical agent on the tooth surface, etc. To remove extrinsic stains, many people commonly use at-home whitening toothpastes that contain active ingredients such as papain, phosphates or silica, although their effects are not as powerful as treatments offered in the dental office.

DENTAID^® nanorepair technology based on hydroxyapatite nanoparticles is a leap for at-home tooth whitening products, providing a greater whitening effect, restoring the natural white colour of teeth, since the hydroxyapatite nanoparticles act by filling the bumpy tooth enamel surfaces, evening them out and making them smoother and brighter. They also prevent dental hypersensitivity by sealing open dentinal tubules.

Using this after in-clinic dental whitening helps keep teeth white for a longer period of time.