Antibacterial resistant Dental Implant Engineering

Summary

Dental implants are often affected by bacterial infection which if remain undiagnosed may lead to a major surgical intervention, causing pain and distress. Worldwide, more than 40% of implant-wearing patients encounter infection and suffer from peri-implantitis. At present, there is no early diagnosis of peri-implantitis - a patient only realizes when the pain is felt.

The PhD project is an opportunity for engineering Infection Resistant and Controlling Dental Implant which is based on root-anatomy and mastication biomechanics. The project will run in collaboration with Industry (Attenborough Dental in UK) which manufactures implant.

The PhD training will be focused on Biomedical device Engineering using novel materials, biomechanics, cell, and antimicrobial biological characterization and control. The supervision support will be interdisciplinary.

The PhD programme will have four major components:

• Antimicrobial/bacterial resistant Materials Engineering: essential for monitoring and surveilliance of infection in implant
• Manufacturing of coating that allows monitoring via non- or minimally invasive route
• Characterisation of cell and antimicrobial properties on implant materials by modelling elution
• Mechanical resistance of the coating on the implants under loading
• You will learn a number of experimental and modelling of experimental data for validation.

Applicants must hold a 1st class Honours degree in Bachelor or an MSc with Merit/Distinction in one of the Engineering (Medical, Chemical, Mechanical, Materials) disciplines. Dentistry or Orthopaedic graduates with an equivalent bachelor or Master equivalent qualification may also apply.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. Some schools and faculties have a higher requirement.