Fillings Could be a Thing of the Past: New Dental Treatment Revealed

What’s the Latest?

Despite the amazing things a dentist can do for your smile, visits to his/her office are often accompanied with a frown. According to The Guardian, patients may have a new, pain-free reason to smile. An advanced new treatment called Electrically Accelerated and Enhanced Remineralisation (EAER) revolutionizes the way cavities are filled and could become available within three years. Unlike the current process of clearing decay and filling cavities with resin, EAER utilizes an electric current to expedite “the natural movement of calcium and phosphate minerals into the damaged tooth.”

What’s the Big Idea?

While patients will certainly be thinking of how much pain the new process can save them, EAER has potential financial benefits as well. The Guardian interviewed Professor Nigel Pitts of King’s College London’s Dental Institute, who explained the many future positives he predicts EAER will net:

“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.

“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.”

Learn more at The Guardian

Photo credit: Edyta Pawlowska / Shutterstock