04 TOOTH BUD ABLATION By Leigh Colby Portland, USA
TRIAGENICS is developing Zero3™ TBA (3rd molar Tooth Bud Ablation), a fully guided procedure that induces complete molar agenesis in children age 6 to 10 years. The minimally invasive 3TBA procedure can be completed in less than two minutes once local anesthesia has been obtained. Figure 1.
TriAgenics Zero3™TBA microablation technology is engineered to control all aspects of the 3TBA procedure. Using microwave energy, the tooth bud tissue is warmed from the center of the targeted third molar outwards in a highly controlled fashion. The clinically induced zone of thermo-necrosis is planned to extend less than 1 mm outside the bony crypt of the targeted tooth bud, regardless of tooth bud size. The high precision Zero3™ TBA treatment resulted in complete molar agenesis with 100% success in nearly 200 live animal micro-ablations. What makes TriAgenics’ micro-ablation technology unique is the ability to shape the zone of ablation with a high degree of control. Figure 1 shows a
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Figure 2.
typical zone of coagulation using medical-grade microwave tumor ablation technology. The ablation zone extends outside the desired zone of ablation and would result in visible oral mucosal tissue burns. Figure 2 shows the spherical zone of ablation Zero3 technology delivers where the spherical zone of ablation does not extend beyond the planned zone of ablation. The sagittal images in Figure 3 compare mandibular 3TBA in pigs to maxillary unablated control tooth buds on the same animal. Complete bony infill is uniformly observed at all 3TBA treated sites within 28 days following treatment.
October 2021
