Creating better smiles: How biomaterials are shaping the future of esthetic dentistry

In esthetic dentistry, form and function blend seamlessly together, creating better smiles while improving the mouth’s function. The field encompasses a wide range of procedures, from repairing a minor tooth chip to installing crowns and replacing bone, cartilage, and teeth.

“It touches a lot of aspects of oral health and involves leading-edge research in terms of how we can use biomaterials to solve the problems our patients face,” says Joe C. Ontiveros, DDS, MS.

Ontiveros, who holds the John M. Powers, PhD, Professorship in Oral Biomaterials at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, specializes in biomaterials, versatile substances that treat, repair, or replace oral tissues. These materials range from biodegradable polymers that deliver pain medication directly to the area of injury to metals and alloys used as dental implants.

The School of Dentistry has dedicated significant resources to the field through the John M. Powers, PhD, Houston Center for Biomaterials and Biomimetics. First established as the Houston Biomaterials Research Center in 1994, the Powers Center was created to become a comprehensive research and development center for biomaterials and biomimetics. Key areas of focus include tissue engineering, clinical technology, advanced applications such as bone regeneration, and maxillofacial prosthetics.

Ontiveros leads the center’s Biomaterials Division, where he conducts laboratory and clinical research to discover better ways to harness biomaterials for oral health applications.

“There are so many patients who encounter biomaterials during their dental treatments without even realizing it,” he says. “So, the advances we make here can have a substantially broad impact.”

Ontiveros’ research includes technologies such as 3D printing, which has seen widespread use among dentists in recent years. Some of his studies look at appliances like orthodontic brackets and dentures printed using biomaterials, comparing them with items created using traditional methods. Other aspects of his research include tooth color and shade matching, tooth whitening, and how different dental adhesives fare at preventing bacterial infections.

“As a practitioner, I see how simple things like matching the color of tooth restorations with natural teeth or ensuring patients have a harmonious smile can change how they feel about themselves,” he says. “Being on the other end where I am able to help improve these processes is really rewarding as well.”

Funds from the Powers Professorship in Oral Biomaterials help Ontiveros and other faculty in the Department of Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics attend national conferences where they share their research and build collaborations with scientists from other institutions.

Distributions from the professorship endowment also advance one of Ontiveros’ other priorities: mentoring students, residents, and junior faculty in biomaterials research. Ontiveros follows what he calls “the Powers Way,” a style of mentoring he learned from his own mentor and the Powers Center’s namesake, John M. Powers, PhD.

“It’s supportive, generous, and influential,” Ontiveros says. “It’s giving your time, energy, and resources to influence others in a positive way.”

The endowment has helped Ontiveros mentor students in the summer research program for undergraduates studying new 3D printed materials, including a student who presented data at a national conference and went on to become a resident at the school. Ontiveros has also supported residents in the orthodontics, endodontics, and prosthodontics departments with their discoveries. One resident even had his research published in the prestigious journal Clinical Oral Investigations.

Ontiveros hopes to hire more research faculty dedicated to training and mentoring, a task that additional philanthropic support can help accomplish by providing incentives such as dedicated funding for potential recruits. He strives to continue growing new leaders in the field who will advance the health of communities through biomaterials research.

“One of the rewards of supporting young researchers is the fulfillment you have when they reach professional milestones,” Ontiveros says. “If you seek the flourishing of others, you too will flourish. That’s the Powers Way.”