Research lines

1. Biocompatibility physical chemical properties and antimicrobial activity of techniques used in dentistry

Description: This research line aims to evaluate the physicochemical, antimicrobial, and biological properties of various dental materials and treatment techniques. The main physicochemical properties, analyzed through in vitro tests, include the release of chemical compounds and ions over time, pH value, radiopacity, solubility, dimensional changes, setting time, among others. Antimicrobial activity is assessed using techniques such as microbial culture, cell culture (e.g., MTT), and molecular biology (Checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization, MALDI-TOF, among others). Biological properties, such as the induction of inflammatory or repair processes, are evaluated in cell cultures, subcutaneous connective tissue in animals, and teeth from both small and large animals, as well as human teeth. In animals, microscopic analyses are performed using histological sections evaluated by conventional and fluorescent microscopy, along with immunohistochemistry and molecular biology techniques to detect different cell types, receptors, and chemical mediators of the immune/inflammatory response. This research line benefits from national and international collaborations, as well as financial support from various funding agencies and partnerships with the private sector.

 

2. Clinical studies in dentistry

Description: Evaluation of the clinical performance of different materials and techniques in dental practice, as well as available innovations, through in vivo studies, in situ studies, case studies, randomized clinical trials, epidemiological studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses.

 

3. Etiology and the treatment of pulp and periapical pathologies

Description: This research line conducts studies using small animals, such as wild-type and transgenic mice and rats, as well as large animals, including dogs and minipigs, to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the genesis and progression of chronic periapical lesions, and to assess the efficacy of traditional and innovative treatment methods. These studies involve histopathological analyses through conventional, fluorescence, and confocal microscopy; histoenzymology; immunohistochemistry for receptors, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, other chemical mediators, and different cell types (macrophages, lymphocytes, neutrophils, dendritic cells, etc.); gene and protein expression analyses (e.g., RT-PCR and flow cytometry); as well as microbiological assessments, among others. Human studies are also conducted, including sample collection from periapical lesions, primary and permanent teeth, with clinical and radiographic evaluation. This research line benefits from the collaboration of national and international researchers and receives financial support from various funding agencies and the private sector.

 

4. Research involving the Pediatric Dentistry/Orthodontics interface

Description: This research line encompasses projects developed through the interaction between the fields of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. It evaluates skeletal, dental, and occlusal changes in children and adolescents before and after treatment, as well as various materials and techniques used in interceptive and corrective Orthodontics. The assessments are conducted through clinical studies, experimental animal models, and in vitro evaluations.

 

5. Prevention in dentistry

This research line develops projects aimed at: Evaluating the effectiveness of different preventive protocols; Assessing microbial contamination of toothbrushes, pacifiers, orthodontic accessories, sports mouthguards, and the efficacy of disinfection methods; Evaluating the structure and composition of primary and permanent teeth, detecting variations, including genetic ones, that may interfere with susceptibility to dental caries; Assessing the effects of radiotherapy on the mechanical, chemical, and morphological properties of enamel and dentin in primary and permanent teeth, in the presence or absence of acid challenges (artificial induction of caries lesions and artificial induction of erosion lesions); Evaluating the adhesive process between restorative materials and enamel/dentin subjected or not to radiotherapy; Assessing the behavior of brackets bonded to teeth undergoing radiotherapy; Evaluating the activity and expression of matrix metalloproteinases 2, 9, and 20 in the enamel and dentin of irradiated primary and permanent teeth, with or without the use of protease inhibitors. This research line involves faculty from the Pediatric Dentistry Graduate Program, as well as researchers from Brazil (Ribeirão Preto Medical School/USP; Guarulhos University) and abroad (Sweden, Spain, Argentina, and Mexico).