Poster Presenter

Development Of Sustained Fluoride Releasing Elastomeric Rings For Orthodontic Applications
Shadeed Khan, Ozge Guney-Altay, Eser Tufekci and Kenneth Wynne

Controlled fluoride release delivery systems would be beneficial in preventing decalcification adjacent to orthodontic brackets that occur due to poor oral hygiene. The purpose of this study was to develop a polyethylene-co-vinyl acetate (PEVA) delivery matrix capable of releasing fluoride in a pre-designed manner without the need for patient compliance.

Initially, 4.2 g of PEVA beads were dissolved in 20 mL of tetrahydrofuran (THF). Samples (N=3) were prepared by adding 0.08 to 0.6 g of NaF powder into the previously prepared PEVA/THF solution. Subsequently, the mixture was let to cast-dry to form a thin film. Samples were dip-coated in a 21% w/v PEVA/THF solution and vacuum dried for 24h. Subsequently, samples were placed into 50 mL of buffer solution and fluoride release was measured over a 45 day period at 23 and 37°C.

At day 45, the groups with 0.08 g and 0.6 g fluoride displayed fluoride release at the therapeutic levels. Temperature had an effect on the fluoride release (p < 0.05). Scanning electron microscopic examinations showed fluoride distribution within the delivery matrix consistent with the observed fluoride release profiles. The results of this study present an initial step toward the next generation fluoride delivery devices for orthodontic applications.