It can take up to eight years for decay to penetrate to the inner layer or dentine of the tooth, and that`s plenty of time to use other non-drill methods, such as fluoride varnish, better brushing technique and reducing sugar snacks between meals.



Researchers at the University of Sydney have discovered that tooth decay, or dental caries, can be stopped, reversed and prevented without using the traditional drill and fill method. Their discoveries, based on a seven-year research programme, herald a major shift in dental practice. It?s unnecessary even for patients ever to have a filling, the researchers say.



For a long time it was believed that tooth decay was a rapidly progressive phenomenon and the best way to manage it was to identify early decay and remove it immediately in order to prevent a tooth surface from breaking up into cavities, said lead researcher Prof Wendell Evans. After drilling, the cavity is then usually filled with amalgam.



But the process takes far longer than dentists believe, and isn?t even always progressive. If it does progress, it can take from four to eight years for the decay to start affecting the inner layer of the tooth.

