I-Corps: Anti-Fogging Dental Mirror

The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of modified dental mirrors. These mirrors are a critical tool used in the dental industry and are used for a range of purposes from routine cleaning to diagnosis to surgical preparation. Maintaining good visibility within the mouth is critical for these purposes. The temperature difference between the mouth and the mirror surface leads to fogging. This technology improves the visibility of tooth decay in patients to improve oral health through an anti-fogging dental mirror. This project has the potential to enhance student clinical research skills by exposing them to a wide variety of patient-oriented research. This project could offer a variety of didactic learning opportunities and in-house case presentations that are relevant to patient-oriented research. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a dental mirror design with a heating element to heat the surface of the dental mirror and a device to maintain operability after autoclave sterilization, critical for an intraoral application. The heating element consists of a mirror with the nichrome heating element, and a thermistor. The air flow cleansing mechanism uses an air regulator and air compressor to create controlled air flow and pressure to blow moisture away from the mirror surface. Rotation-induced cleansing uses a high-speed rotating mechanism to push condensation towards the edges of the mirror. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.