Do you occasionally neglect to wash your teeth? Microbots might eventually do the task for you. According to a news statement issued by the University of Pennsylvania last month, a multidisciplinary team there has developed a novel automated method for brushing and flossing with robotics.
The innovation may be especially helpful for people who lack the manual dexterity needed to adequately clean their teeth by hand.
a lengthy, difficult procedure
Hyun (Michel) Koo, a professor in the Department of Orthodontics and divisions of Community Oral Health and Pediatric Dentistry at Penn’s School of Dental Medicine and co-corresponding author of the study, said in a statement, “Routine oral care is cumbersome and can pose challenges for many people, especially those who have trouble cleaning their teeth.
It’s a laborious, multi-step operation; you have to brush your teeth, then floss them, and finally rinse your mouth. The breakthrough in this situation is the robotics system’s ability to perform all three in a single, hands-free, automated manner.
According to co-corresponding author Edward Steager, a senior research scientist in Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, “Nanoparticles can be sculpted and controlled with magnetic fields in surprising ways.”
We create bristles that, like flossing, can expand, sweep, and even move back and forth across space. It functions much like a robotic arm that can reach out and clean a surface. The device may be configured to automatically assemble nanoparticles and control motion.
transforming the conventional toothbrush
The team plans to modernize the conventional but antiquated toothbrush. Koo stated that “the architecture of the toothbrush has mostly not altered for millennia.”
The original “bristle-on-a-stick style” was raised by the addition of electric motors, but the idea behind it has not changed. “This technology hasn’t experienced any disruption in decades.”
Microrobots made of iron oxide nanoparticles with magnetic and catalytic activity are a new invention. The team would manipulate these nanoparticles using a magnetic field to create bristle-like structures that remove dental plaque or lengthy threads that can slide between teeth like a piece of floss. In both situations, the nanoparticles are propelled by a catalytic process to release antimicrobials that eliminate hazardous oral germs right away.
And according to the researchers, all types of teeth can use their innovative creation. It will adapt to diverse surfaces whether you have straight teeth or crooked teeth, claims Koo. The device may be adjusted to fit into every crevice in the mouth cavity.
The remaining questions are: will people find it comfortable to put microrobots in their mouths, and is tooth brushing such a hassle that an upgrade is necessary? For these reasons, the idea might not be very well received, but it will be helpful for people who are physically unable to brush their teeth. The innovation will undoubtedly shift the game for certain demographic groups.