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Spinoff story
Semiconductor Research Leads to Revolution in Dental Care
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
Research into growing crystals for electronics at NASA’s short-lived Electronics Research Center led to an agency patent for repairing teeth by growing crystals of hydroxyapatite, the substance that gives teeth and bones their hardness. Sangi Co. Ltd. of Tokyo acquired the patent and developed the first hydroxyapatite-based remineralizing toothpastes in the 1980s. Hundreds of other companies across Asia and Europe have since followed suit.