Meet the finalists

Overview
https://www.epo.org/en/node/sumita-mitra

Sumita Mitra

Sumita Mitra

Restoring smiles with nanomaterials

USA

US.svg
Category
Non-EPO Countries
Technical field
Medical technology
Company
3M Innovative Properties Company
Indian-American chemist Sumita Mitra developed a nanomaterial-based dental filler that offers improved strength, wear resistance and aesthetics. Mitra was the first to use nanotechnology to create fillings and today, dental products based on her invention have been used in over 1 billion restorations worldwide.

Winner of the European Inventor Award 2021

Until the late 1990s, dentists struggled to find an optimal material to secure fillings in place to repair decayed or broken teeth. Commonly used options (composite microfills and hybrid composites) were either too weak for biting surfaces or became dull and unattractive over time.

While working in the Oral Care Division of the American multinational 3M, Sumita Mitra became determined to find an alternative. The root of the problem lay in particle size: hybrid composites were milled from quartz, glass or ceramics. Through daily use, the resin would wear away and the particles begin to protrude. The microfills comprised loosely packed particles that resulted in a weak filler. Initially, Mitra and her team incorporated uniform nanoparticles approximately 20 nanometres in size into resins. While these had better mechanical and optical properties, they remained unsuitable in dentistry. They then tried a new approach and developed a technique for creating loosely bound clusters of nanoparticles of varied sizes. They combined these nanoclusters with precisely engineered individual nanoparticles of varying diameters, resulting in a robust, durable and lustrous material with excellent handling properties. By adding tiny amounts of pigment and altering the nanoparticles' chemical composition, the team also created a range of shades to match individual patients' teeth.

Legacy in dentistry

Mitra's ground-breaking filler FiltekTM Supreme universal restorative was commercialised by 3M and launched in 2002. The product line continues to build on her patented material, with newer generations of Filtek introduced in 2005, 2012 and 2019. The technology and the products developed from Mitra's work are today used by dentists worldwide, benefitting countless patients.

Having retired from 3M in 2010 after 32 years of service Mitra continues to contribute to research and development through her own consulting company. She also volunteers in her community and hopes to inspire young people to develop an interest in science.

Media gallery

Preview image for the video "Sumita Mitra - Restoring smiles with nanomaterials".

Sumita Mitra - Restoring smiles with nanomaterials

Sumita Mitra

Sumita Mitra

Restoring smiles with nanomaterials

Restoring smiles with nanomaterials

Sumita Mitra

Sumita Mitra

Patent numbers:

EP1225867, EP1227782, EP1229886, EP1771143

Related finalists

Per Gisle Djupesland
Per Gisle Djupesland
Norwegian scientist Per Gisle Djupesland's device for administering medicine via the nose brings relief to millions of migraine sufferers and has the potential to treat brain conditions. His experience as an ENT specialist inspired him to invent a ground-breaking system that uses our natural breathing mechanism to deliver medication where it's needed quickly and efficiently.
Marco Donolato
Marco Donolato and team
Italian physicist Marco Donolato and his team have invented a test that can detect infectious diseases, including dengue fever - which infects an estimated 390 million people each year. The easy-to-use system needs just one drop of blood to produce rapid and accurate results, enabling prompt treatment of patients.
Mathias Fink and Mickael Tanter
Mathias Fink and Mickael Tanter
A digital ultrasound imaging platform developed by French physicists Mathias Fink and Mickael Tanter helps doctors to quickly identify conditions such as cancer and liver disease, without the need for painful and invasive biopsies. By enabling earlier and more accurate diagnoses, the innovation will lead to more targeted and effective clinical treatments, potentially saving lives.
Kim Lewis and Slava S. Epstein
Kim Lewis and Slava S. Epstein
Microbiologists Kim Lewis and Slava Epstein have developed a device that enables scientists to separate and incubate single strains of bacteria in their natural environment, rather than in a Petri dish. The "iChip" increases the potential for the development of new drugs to treat cancer and other diseases. It has helped scientists to cultivate thousands of strains of previously unculturable organisms, leading to the discovery of many potential candidates for new antibiotics.
Bo Pi and Yi He
Bo Pi and Yi He
Chinese-American innovators Bo Pi and Yi He have developed the world's first fingerprint sensor able to check both fingerprint patterns and the presence of blood flow. Their innovation is integrated into multiple smartphone models across several Brands, helping to prevent unauthorised access and provide unparalleled security for millions of users.

Contact

European Inventor Award and Young Inventors Prize queries:

european-inventor@epo.org Subscribe to the European Inventor Award newsletter

Media-related queries:

Contact our Press team
#InventorAward #YoungInventors