of former dental composites, which were either too fragile for use on biting surfaces or easily lost their shine and looked unsightly. Mitra worked for the US multinational 3M for over 30 years, which was commercialized as FiltekTM Supreme Universal Restorative in 2002 by 3M. The technology and products manufactured from the company are being used by dentists all over the world.
While announcing the 2021 finalists of the European Inventor Award, EPO President António Campinos said that Mitra’s invention has used the right emerging technology in a new sector that has huge benefits. He said, “Mitra’s invention takes what was an emerging technology at the time – nanotechnology – and applies it to a new sector to provide a solution for dentists and relief for patients”.
Mitra’s invention has been protected by patents, which will ensure that her invention gains commercial success viable for nearly two decades. Mitra said, “The use of nanotechnology gave me the opportunity of making a new material. It restores peoples’ smiles and improves the quality of their lives. The material’s strength is its versatility. You have all the desired properties of a tooth filling in one material. That is why this technology has been used to make so many different types of tooth restorations around the world. The patent was essential for safeguarding the invention so that others could not infringe on the technology”.
