Stem Cell Fillings Could Erase Those Horrible Root Canals

Going to the dentist/orthodontist is pretty much a horrible thing. Sure, by the end you feel great because they scrubbed and fixed your teeth that have been hit by waves after wave of coffee, but the act of going the dentist with the possibility of a cavity is awful. I’ve had 3 cavities in my life, but I also had braces put on when I was 23. Imagine trying to find your way in life when you have a barricade of metal in your face? It’s kind of like this:

That embarrassment aside, the thing that scares people the most is getting a root canal. What many people think is that the doctor just takes a huge drill, turns your tooth into a food bowl, fills it in with the filling, shines the blue light, and you’re done. Well, there’s a bit more to it:

Instead of all that, what if your teeth can heal themselves? That means you never have to brush again! That also means that no one will ever want to kiss you again, too. That’s not how it works. Anyway, The idea started with a new project from Harvard and the University of Nottingham to create stem cell stimulating fillings. If you have ever had a filling fail, which is around 10-15% of fillings, then you don’t want to go through this process again. Hell, I was chewing a piece of gum, felt a crunch, and back to the dentist I go.

Researchers have developed a filling made from synthetic biomaterial that they claim can stimulate the growth of step cells in the pulp of the tooth. It works the same ways as the GIF above, but instead of the regular filling, it will be the biomaterial that is injected.

So far, testings of the material has stimulated the dentin (the stuff under the enamel of the tooth). If the researchers are right, they believe that this could fix the damage done to the tooth when the biomaterial is put in. You get a fixed tooth!

Soon, you could never require a fix of your damaged teeth because of such regenerative material. The questions that will leave people who make money on bad teeth is another story.

(Via PopSci)

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Jeff Sorensen is an author, writer and occasional comedian living in Detroit, Michigan. You can look for more of his work on The Huffington Post, UPROXX, BGR and by just looking up his name.

Contact: jeff@socialunderground.com