Firm Expects Tooth-Filling Patent

Laser Endo Technic Inc., a San Clemente biomedical manufacturer specializing in dental products, announced Monday that it expects to receive a U.S. patent for a method of filling cavities using a paste made from chemicals similar to the basic components of a tooth.

The company has developed a material, called LaserBond, which is made from chemicals such as hydroxyapatite, which is found in a tooth’s enamel, and dentin.

A laser, which is also patented by the company, is then used to harden and fuse the material with the tooth.

Currently, amalgam is used to fill cavities. But because amalgam is made from a mercury alloy, there are health concerns. Dentists often use composites made from resin. However, these fillings are not strong enough and dentists usually replace them every few years, said Francois D. Levy, chief executive of Laser Endo. Levy added that the new material can last longer and is more natural looking.

The patent, effective next Tuesday, provides additional protection of this process along with other methods of filling a tooth with an optical fiber and laser. The paste will be sold to dentists for $25, while the laser costs about $55,000.