dental structures application_number US 21013708 A description for the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the novel technology reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same it will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the novel technology is thereby intended such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the novel technology as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the novel technology relates the present novel technology includes a method for producing a thermodynamically and kinetically stable material that slowly releases ions and moieties due to the complex chemistry created during the alloying process the technique was developed in part to address a need for among other things improved mints gums lozenges and other confectionery and foodstuff formats accordingly the following examples and embodiments tend to reflect chemistries having dental applications however the present application is broadly applicable beyond the dental applications discussed herein one aspect of the present novel technology relates to the application of functionalized hybrid materials to provide improved dental benefits by delivering small surfactant coated minerals to a substrate such as dentition the functionalized surface aids in promoting direct contact between a target material such as the pellicle enamel or the like and therefore allows for more efficient delivery of a desired mineral component such as calcium and phosphate the novel chemical synthesis method exploits the mechanochemical ball milling process to produce a relatively great amount of relatively inexpensive functionalized complexes typically the.