Inaugural Lecture Explores the Physics of Tooth Decay

On Wednesday 6th March, St Mary’s University College, Twickenham, is hosting the inaugural lecture of Prof John Nicholson, who will present his research 'Long in the Tooth - The Physics of Tooth Repair'. Professor in Applied Science at St Mary’s, Prof Nicholson will review the current state-of-the-art materials used in tooth repair, emphasising his own contribution to our understanding of their properties and behaviour. For over 150 years, decayed teeth have been repaired with unsightly silver amalgam, but in the last 40 years, there has been a revolution in the materials available and contemporary clinicians have a choice of natural-looking materials that can be used with minimal damage to the remaining healthy tooth tissue. One of these materials is the glass-ionomer cement, which is highly bioactive and capable of forming a durable adhesive bond to the tooth surface. These features have led to novel ‘drill free’ dental treatments becoming available. The free lecture is open to students, staff and members of the public and begins at 5.30pm on Wednesday 6^th March. For more information and to book a place please contact Kristina Jarabicova on kristina.jarabicova@stmarys.ac.uk