Magik touch for the root canal

Sameer Jain (21), the youngest innovator in the MIT Technology Review’s India TR35 list, helps people smile through his innovation. Jain has come up with a device called Magik to make the common dental procedure — root canal — failure proof.

Experts believe Magik, which is designed to fill up the dental cavity after removing the infected tooth pulp, has the potential to significantly reduce cost, time and chances of infection in a root canal.

Jain, originally from Pune, is a final year student at Mahatma Gandhi Vidyamandir Dental College in Nashik. As part of his studies, Jain realised that the manual technique currently used to fill up the tooth cavity in a root canal procedure is not perfect as the filling material does not always reach all parts of the cavity. This makes the tooth prone to infection as microorganisms get room to enter the cavity and thus causing pain.

The products which are currently available in the market cost around Rs1-1.25 lakh, while Jain’s prototype comes for about Rs1,000. While Magik is not yet in a commercial manufacturing stage, Jain is confident that the equipment can be made available at a considerably lower price.

In Jain’s technique, the filling material is heated to 60-70 degree Celsius so that it flows smoothly. Then the Magik uses sonic vibrations to ensure that there are no air pockets within the filling material and that the material reaches all parts of the cavity.

To operate Magik, no specialised skill is required. Jain tells DNA he is at present focusing on his exams, but is excited to hold talks with companies interested in commercialising the concept.

Is this your first idea that clicked?
No. Magik is an improved version of my original idea. As I went deep into the research, the idea evolved.

What are you currently working on?
I plan to further improve my machine and conduct many lateral research studies. But before that I want to focus on my final year university exams. After all, I am a dentist first and then a researcher.

Given a choice, would you work independently with funding or as part of a research institution?
I think ‘funding’ is very important. If I have a sponsor, I am ready to work anywhere. Though working individually is more convenient, working in a research institution gives you access to all the facilities. The only thing that bothers me is that in any institution, there is always the “seniority factor”, which is measured by one’s age, rather than one’s caliber or intellect.

Is innovation an end in itself or means to become an entrepreneur?
Entrepreneurship is not my cup of tea. All I want to do is help people have a healthy smile - functionally and esthetically. Be it in the form of research or clinical practice. But as they say “never say never.” Since this innovation has opened so many doors for me, entrepreneurship may also be one of the options eventually.

Does India value and reward its innovators?
Yes. But not as much as other countries do. In India, competitions are held for the sake of conducting a tradition, whereas, there is always some purpose in the competitions sponsored by foreign corporation. For instance, you have been able to reach me due to MIT. However, it should have been local institutions like Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) or National Institute of Technology (NIT) that should have taken initiative in discovering Indian innovators.

Has your innovation made material difference to your standard of living?
No. But my innovation has taken me places in India and abroad. I was privileged to represent India at the American Dental Association Annual Conference, held in Orlando.

Who are your biggest influences and why?
My parents are my biggest influence. They have always wanted me to be a good human being first. I guess my pursuit to be a good human being will lead to an early success in my life. They call it ‘Karma.’ They will always continue to be my biggest influences.

What has been your biggest mistake?
I don’t regret anything in my life. In fact, I value my mistakes more than my success. A mistake always gets you down to reality and pushes you to strive persistently towards success.

If you could go back and change one thing about your life as an innovator, what would it be?
I wouldn’t change anything. I am already living a dream. I have been blessed to have achieved this level of success at this age. All I can say is that I shall work harder to live up to my expectations.

Did you have a childhood dream?
I always dreamt of being one of the best dentists in the world. It was this childhood obsession that probed such great interest in me and ultimately helped me in my research.