Can Dental Decay Be Reversed?

Current research has had success with the regrowing of teeth with lasers. Will this change the future of dentistry? Read on to learn more, and thanks for visiting Surrey Endodontic Centre.

The sound of drilling on teeth… the fear of the needle before a procedure… the dreaded root canal. Ask most people why they hate the dentist and you’ll probably get one of those answers. Many people avoid the dentist for years just to avoid any of these discomforts. So could the field of dentistry change? Is there a way to reverse the decay process?

According to recent research posted in the journal of Science Translation Medicine, lasers could regrow tooth structure.

Research indicates that lasers can actually stimulate stem cells to differentiate into viable tissue. Stem cell research has been gaining popularity in medical applications and is now being explored for the regeneration of tooth structure. In the study, the research team created cavities in rodents by drilling into their teeth. Then they added adult stem cells to the pulp and stimulated them with lasers. After covering the teeth with temporary material, they found that dentin had indeed begun to grow.

More alternatives to traditional dentistry are being discovered even without the use of stem cells. A new technology called “electrically accelerated and enhanced remineraliztion” has been discovered at King’s College London. The decay process occurs when bacteria and sugar sources slowly chip away at tooth structure leaving a cavity in the tooth. This technology uses electrical stimulation to promote the remineralization process. This accelerates the process to prevent the cavity from enlarging and healing the tooth structure. Perhaps tooth decay is reversible!

Continue reading HERE.