TriAgenics Hopes to Revolutionize Oral Health

Surgical extraction of third molars is the most common invasive surgical procedure performed on adolescents and young adults age 15 to 25. What if wisdom teeth never formed at all?

Meet TriAgenics: A research and development firm in Redmond who is disrupting oral health as we know it. Their mission is to give patients and dental professionals a safe, effective, and simple way to prevent the disease, damage, and lifelong hazards caused by wisdom teeth formation.

Dr. Leigh Colby and his team have studied wisdom teeth development, risks and pathology and have developed a way to prevent wisdom teeth from forming through a treatment called Zero3™ TBA (tooth bud ablation).  Currently, this procedure has not been tested on humans and is not yet FDA approved.  However, in live animal trials there have been no observed adverse outcomes and zero detectable tooth formation following Zero3™.  Even better, this minimally invasive procedure takes approximately one minute from start to finish!

In the three-step process, a common oral procedure among youth can be prevented:

• Early evaluation and detection: typically an exam is conducted at or around age 14 to determine whether or not wisdom teeth should be extracted. However, with this process, practitioners would begin early evaluations at age six as a part of a regular routine exam.
• Determining treatment options: if signs of complications in a child’s oral health are detected, an impression is made, a review of pros/cons of treatment is discussed with the health care provider and the patient, and an appointment is made for the Zero3™treatment.
• An appointed visit with an oral health provider: a local anesthetic is applied, just like having a single surface filling placed.
  • A custom Zero3™ guide is placed onto the patient’s teeth,
  • The Zero3™ probe is inserted into the guide,
  • A 20 – 40 second treatment cycle is activated, and
  • The tooth bud is gently warmed from the center outwards in a controlled fashion.

In just 60-90 seconds, the Zero3™ treatment can provide a lifetime of better oral health.

Could Redmond be known for a company that has revolutionized oral healthcare?  

In a recent Q&A with Dr. Leigh Colby,at the Central Oregon PubTalk, he was asked where he would seek to manufacture this new single use medical device once it’s FDA approved. He responded by saying “here in Redmond”. REDI is glad to hear that a small company like this calls our community home and wants to stay and grow here. For more on Dr. Colby’s PubTalk presentation, which explains this innovation and how it works, click here: (Central Oregon PubTalk 14:58-31:40)

REDI’s helped TriAgenics find suitable space for its research lab and connected them with the EDCO regional office for venture capital funding to help in its research and development. It is a good reminder that REDI is here to help at whatever phase of business. When this invention does take flight, REDI can continue to help a company with things like providing guidance through permitting, finding an appropriate location for manufacturing, workforce development, as well as investor funding, loans, and programs like opportunity zones and enterprise zones that help the bottom line.

While Redmond may be known for manufacturing, there are more and more industries being represented, like health care. TriAgenics is proof positive that Redmond is a good fit for many different types of companies.