Science in the News: No more fillings at the dentist?!

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Recently, there was news that came out about a new treatment at the dentist’s office. It will begin its human trials soon and hopefully be the newest dental care available to us very soon!

The treatment is currently known as Electrically Accelerated and Enhanced Remineralisation or EAER. The tooth-rebuilding technique developed at King’s College London does away with fillings and instead encourages teeth to repair themselves. The EAER treatment accelerates the natural movement of calcium and phosphate minerals into the damaged tooth and naturally heals the cavities without having to drill and fill them with amalgam (the process dentists currently use to fill cavities).

Professor Nigel Pitts, from King’s College London’s Dental Institute, said: “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 refilling as, ultimately, each ‘repair’ fails. Nigel Pitts also says that “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.”

If these treatments becomes widely available to our population, it will change the field of dentistry forever! Thanks to scientists who have been working to develop this new treatment!

Read more about the EAER treatment in this article written by The Guardian:  http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jun/16/fillings-dentists-tooth-decay-treatment