For dentures to work properly, they have to stick strongly in wet, uneven, unpredictable environments. The problem is, quite often they don’t. That was what led Dr. Sherif Elsharkawy to think of what else has to stick strongly in such environments. His answer: octopuses. Now, the good doctor is making octopus-inspired dentures. Poorly adhering dentures can be a big problem for the estimated 40+ million adults who use them. Lower dentures are particularly notorious for slipping, and that can be very embarrassing if you’re in a social situation, especially dining out. While adhesives are available, they can often change the taste of food, and many people say they find them unpleasant or unhygienic. Elsharkawy realized that the octopus sucker works in part because inside there is a central dome. As it presses against a rock or its prey, the dome is compressed a little, and capillary forces help add a bit more suction. In addition, the way it's squeezed and deformed helps create a stronger vacuum. This ensures that an octopus can keep hold of its lunch. Elsharkawy’s study showed that dentures that have been 3D-printed to contain octopus-inspired suckers have far better adhesion, without any need for glue. Now he and his colleagues are moving into human clinical trials, with the goal of bringing their octo-dentures to market.
