Dental Applications
The Current Problem:
Scientists exploring infection control problems have been discovering an alarming amount of evidence regarding the safety of the water that is sprayed into the mouth from dental instruments. Microbial contamination of dental unit water appears widespread and extensive, and the organisms populating the water lines include many with pathogenic potential which can cause serious illness and death, especially when the immune systems are down. (Journal of the American Dental Association: Issue 127: pp.188)
As stated above it is well known and documented that water used for irrigation during dental procedures can host several fast-growing microorganisms or bacterial strains in the tubular delivery system. Elimination of bacteria from water is difficult and cannot be fully achieved unless it can be eliminated at the point of water delivery. Our laser-based system is designed to neutralize harmful bacteria nearest the point where water exits through a conduit of the handheld device familiar within the dental and surgical fields - nearest the point of use.
Water can host several fast-growing microorganisms or bacterial strains that can be harmful to humans. These harmful microorganisms, when in a tubular delivery system, or other water containment systems, multiply rapidly, as microorganisms colonize and replicate, they begin to adhere to the interior surfaces of the waterlines. This is termed "Biofilms." Biofilms, once formed, significantly amplifies the numbers of free-floating microorganisms in water exiting the waterlines. As water lines narrow within a building the microbe count is about 10 cfu/ml. At a junction box generally located within the dental unit/station (with tubing rated at less than an inch in diameter) the count reaches about 10,000 cfu/ml. After water has traveled about 10 feet within the dental station to a control center, the count can go up to about 400,000 cfu/ml. Finally, at the sterile handpiece and non-sterile air/water supply (the sources of water into a patient's mouth) the microbe count entering the patient's mouth can be 100,000 to 200,000 cfu/ml. Current technology is yet to meet the ADA Council's recommendations that solutions be developed by the Year 2000 that would lower microbes to less than 200 cfu/ml. - NOT YET ACHIEVED!!
SALtech's Solution:
SALtech's technology is generally directed to water treatment systems and methods and, more particularly, to the treatment of water nearest its point of use using UV laser technology. As water passes through the treatment area, microorganisms contained in the fluid are subjected to light reactive at a predetermined wavelength. As photons of UV energy are absorbed by the DNA, the base-pair hydrogen bond is ruptured and causes disruption in the DNA chain. When the cell undergoes mitosis (cell division) with the DNA chain disrupted, the DNA is unable to replicate and it thereby renders the microorganisms harmless. Viruses also contain nucleic acid and thus are neutralized in a similar manner.
Presently, the most popular solutions for addressing the problem that are known to be in use have already been introduced in this plan and generally consist of flushing, cleaning lines, various filtration devices and non-point-of-use UV systems. Each of the present solutions has its own drawbacks. For example, cleaning water lines is time-consuming and filters must be changed frequently. Both increase costs associated with labor and parts. We know of no prior art at patent or of any company technology presently seeking to eliminate microorganisms nearest the point of its use using UV light. SALtech's system will complement the current technologies by continually providing further reduction of microorganism not eliminated by using present methods or technology.
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