Dentistry continues to change with new technology, and it could look very different in the future. New innovations could lead to techniques that allow teeth to repair themselves without the need for fillings. Read on to learn more, and thanks for visiting us at Cumberland Endodontics.
U.K. researchers have developed a tooth-rebuilding technique that could do away with restorations by using an electric current to help remineralize teeth.
The process aims to take the pain out of caries treatment by electrically reversing the process to help teeth rebuild themselves without the need for drills, needles, or filling materials.
The technique, known as electrically accelerated and enhanced remineralization, could be brought to market within three years. It was developed by Reminova, a spin-off company from King’s College London that launched this year. The research was conducted by Nigel Pitts, BDS, PhD, and Christopher Longbottom, PhD, from the Dental Institute at King’s College London.
“The way we treat teeth today is not ideal — when we repair a tooth by putting in a filling, that tooth enters a cycle of drilling and re-filling as, ultimately, each ‘repair’ fails,” Dr. Pitts said in a press release. “Not only is our device kinder to the patient and better for their teeth, but it’s expected to be at least as cost-effective as current dental treatments. Along with fighting tooth decay, our device can also be used to whiten teeth.”
By accelerating the natural process by which calcium and phosphate minerals re-enter the tooth to repair a defect, the Reminova device boosts the tooth’s natural repair process. This process has been investigated for years, but this could be the first technique that makes it to the marketplace.
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