The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) has awarded Spire Biomedical a nine-month small business innovation research (SBIR) phase I Grant of $114,173 to develop coatings for its dental arch wires used in orthodontics.
The coatings aid orthodontist to reduce sliding resistance between the arch wire and bracket, lowering the force required to straighten teeth, reducing treatment times, and resulting in more predictable outcomes.
Spire Biomedical CEO Mark Little said this grant will help them to develop next-generation ceramic oxide coatings.
"The program is targeting improved performance in nickel-titanium and titanium-molybdenum alloy wires, but the coatings should be applicable to other types of wires as well," Little said.