Clinical innovation research
Explore our work in clinical innovation, one of 3 areas of expertise within our Dental and Oral Health research
Advancing dental technology and models of dental care helps us to provide the best, most cost-effective dentistry, meet the increasing demand for dental care, and improve patient outcomes.
Our Dental Materials and Clinical Innovation research focuses on the optical and physical properties of dental materials and how innovation impacts clinical activity. This research explores advanced clinical techniques, efficient models of clinical care, novel clinical materials and diagnostic techniques.
We regularly collaborate with key industrial partners and our research has been funded by various dental companies.
Research
Our work covers the following topics:
- Dental technology
- Oral disease
- Properties of dental materials
- Clinical application and finishing procedures of restorative materials, including composites, glass ionomers and cements
- Adhesion to dental tissue substrates for natural tissue and prosthetic materials
- Prosthetic materials for digital dentistry applications, such as zirconia, lithium (di)silicates, feldspathic ceramics, resins and hybrid materials
- Digital dentistry materials, procedures, and applications including CAD CAM, CEREC chairside system and 3D Printing
Methods and facilities
We use laboratory equipment and clinical trials to evaluate the physical and clinical properties of dental restorative materials.
We also use various techniques for identifying and diagnosing dental disease, assessing dental devices and exploring new approaches to clinical dentistry.
- We use equipment including: Specimen preparation equipment including a cutting machine, Buehler Isomet 4000, grinding/polishing machine, and Buehler Ecomet 30Mmicroshear bond strength tester (Ultratester from Ultradent)
- Universal Testing Machine to assess 3 and 4 point bendingand microtensile
- Spectrophotometer equipment with an integrating sphere
- Roughness meter
- Glossmeter Stereo and biological microscopes (Nikon)
- Scanning electron microscopy
Publication highlights
Fabian-Fonzar R, Goracci C, Carrabba M, Louca C, Ferrari M, Vichi A - Accepted for Publication Journal of Adhesive Dentistry 2019
Goracci C, Ozcan M, Franchi L, Di Bello G, Louca C, Vichi A. Korean J Orthod. 2019 Nov; 49(6):404-412
Comparison of traditional and simplified methods for repairing CAD/CAM feldspathic ceramics
Carrabba M, Vichi A, Louca C, Ferrari M - J Adv Prosthodont 2017; 9:257-264
Influence of coloring procedure on flexural resistance of zirconia blocks
Sedda M, Vichi A, Carrabba M, Capperucci A, Louca C, Ferrari M. J Prosthet Dent. 2015 Jul; 114(1):98-102
Discover our areas of expertise
Dental education is one of our areas of research expertise in Dental and Oral Health – explore the others below.
Dental education
Dental public health
Interested in a PhD in Dental & Oral Health?
Browse our postgraduate research degrees – including PhDs and MPhils – at our Dental & Oral Health postgraduate research degrees page.