Researchers produce new dental film, which could bring decayed teeth back to life
A team of researchers in France has produced a dental film, which could bring decayed teeth back to life.
The team, which is based at Inserm (Instituts thematiques- Institut national de la santé) has developed a nano-sized dental film, which can be used to regenerate decayed dental pulp. The film, which is thousands of times finer than a human hair contains a special substance known as alpha-MSH; this substance has been proved to reduce inflammation in the dental pulp fibroblasts.
The new technique could put an end to the removal of teeth, which have been affected by severe decay. In many cases, root canal therapy can be used to salvage a decayed tooth; however, in very severe cases, the teeth may not be salvageable and they may be extracted. Now, with the new dental film technology, the dentist can implant the dental film and encourage the decayed pulp in the tooth to regenerate.
Experts are keen to promote good oral health and preventative measures in order to reduce the likelihood of needing complex dental treatments; new technologies are being developed to treat dental health conditions but prevention is always better than cure and experts are keen to urge people to look after their teeth and gums so that they can reap the benefits of good oral health, rather than relying on treatment further down the line.
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