SCIENCE / ARTIFICIAL BONE BREAKTHROUGH
Crocodile eggshells offer a dazzling smile


APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL

A team of scientists has successfully developed false teeth as well as dental and bone implants using crocodile eggshells and bones as a source. Their breakthrough work helps convert the shells and bone into an expensive chemical substance essential for developing artificial bone.
In developed nations, scientists mostly convert ''hydroxyapatite,'' one of the major components in human hard tissue, particularly bone and teeth, from sources including poultry eggshells. But Upsorn Boonyang and Sutatip Siripaisarnpipat of Kasetsart University's Department of Chemistry found that crocodile bone and eggshells, regarded as leftovers from local crocodile farms, were also rich in this chemical substance.
''The finding is good news for dental and bone implants in Thailand because it can help reduce the price of false teeth, dental implants and bone surgery which requires hydroxyapatite.
''In the future, we could reduce the use of imported products and this means people would find the treatment more affordable,'' said Ms Upsorn, a PhD student conducting the research project, who presented her work at the academic conference of Thailand Research Fund's Royal Golden Jubilee PhD Programme in Pattaya.
Lab tests showed crocodile bone and eggshell were also rich in calcium carbonate, used as a conversion material. Using a burning process, one gramme of crocodile bone can yield up to 80% hydroxyapatite.
The chemical is used as one of the components for developing false teeth as well as bone and joint implants for arms, knees and legs, she said.
Ms Sutatip, who is a professor at the department, said other natural waste such as seashells and dead coral also produced the same results in lab tests.
Although the finding was under the patent registration process, the successful conversion of hydroxyapatite from local sources would be useful for the domestic chemical production industry because the chemical substance was still expensive and had to be imported.
Just 0.1 of a gramme of hydroxyapatite coming in a tube costs up to 26,000 baht, she said. Sutha Jienmaneechotchai, director of the Department of Health's Dental Health Division, said the finding is good news for modern dental treatment.

Bangkok Post