The technology should be available within five years, and will be able to fight early stage tooth-decay without the need for expensive, painful fillings.
Credit: iStockphoto
A clinical trial testing the effectiveness of the new treatment in people is about to begin. Patients will be fitted with a custom-made mouth tray, tightly moulded to the shape of their teeth. In the mouth, a saliva-proof sealing gel will hold the tray in place and the solution will be squirted into the tray's cavity through a valve, surround the teeth.
The invention has the potential to stop tooth decay dead in its tracks – provided you go to the dentist early enough, said Cochrane. He cautioned that by the time a hole appears, it's too late for this treatment to be effective. Prevention and regular check ups are the best cure, he stressed.
Paul Sharpe, from the Dental Institute at Kings College London, in Britain, agrees that the technique may be a good preventative. "Treatments such as this one may help protect or strengthen enamel," he told Cosmos Online.
Being able to grow totally new enamel, however, is a long way off, but might one day be possible with stem cell treatments. "Tooth enamel is a very complex and intricate substance whose formation is orchestrated by special cells," he said.
Your Title is a bit optimistic
To claim this technology will "banish dental fillings" is silly.
For a start; if the tooth has already been filled, sorry you'd better go to a prayer meeting at the local Apostolic church and hope a miracle occurs.
As for new technology "banishing dental fillings" we have old technology which has been 100% effective at this for years - Fissure sealants, Dental floss, tooth brushes, fluoridated toothpaste/public water supply and finally avoidance of cariogenic (tooth decay causing) foods such as soft drinks and sweets.
In spite of these perfectly effective technologies dental decay remains a serious public health issue. Why? because they only work if you use them routinely. Technology only works when it is used - for instance; saying "seatbelts banish road deaths" is ridiculous; some people don't even wear them and other habits are required such as driving sober, to the conditions, at the speed limit, on your side of the road, in a properly maintained vehicle etc etc.
To be sure seatbelts and bioavailable calcium phosphate products are both brilliant technologies but we would be naive to think they can "banish" the unwelcome issues they are designed to address entirely.
Your headline could read; "New treatment helps to prevent tooth decay - but don't stop flossing". And besides, like all the other preventive treatments before it, this one will only work if you use it!