Dutch researchers at the University of Groningen are working on the creation of a 3-D-printed tooth made of an anti-microbial plastic that kills the type of bacteria responsible for tooth decay on contact.

Imagine teeth that remain white and pristine over time, without all the accumulation of bacteria that cause dental problems. While the thought of having a 3-D-printed tooth inside your mouth might not sound so great, is it really any worse than dealing with the constant ache from a decaying tooth?

For the Dutch researchers, the key step in developing the bacteria-fighting tooth was being able to find the right material to put inside the 3-D printer. In this case, the researchers embedded anti-microbial quaternary ammonium salts inside existing dental resin polymers. Once this mix is put into a 3-D printer, it can be hardened with ultraviolet light and used to print out 3-D replacement teeth.

To test the bacteria-fighting tooth in a lab environment, the researchers coated the material with human saliva and exposed it to the bacterium that causes tooth decay. The anti-bacterial tooth killed over 99 percent of all bacteria and showed no signs of being harmful to human cells.