Scientists in London
The new fillings are made from bioactive glass composites
and release fluoride, calcium, and phosphate. These components are all needed
to form tooth mineral. This could be really helpful since bacteria can work
against your tooth at a microscopic level. So if there is the smallest of
openings that cannot be detected visually, it can be a point of entry for a
cavity. If the filling materials could help close those microscopic gaps, it
could strengthen the filling and make it last longer.
Another application could be reducing the potential for
tooth sensitivity and future root canals after a filling is placed. To remove
tooth decay, you have to drill into the tooth and create a clean margin where
cavity no longer exists. By doing this you get closer to the nerve of the
tooth. If the filling material can help create an additional barrier of new
tooth structure between the filling and the nerve, it lessens the chances of
sensitivity.
There hasn’t been much testing on its effectiveness to
incipient cavities, but there is hope that these fillings can help stop
cavities before they begin to progress too deeply. An incipient cavity is tooth
decay that hasn’t yet penetrated the outer tooth layer of enamel. If bioactive
glass composites can be placed over the cavity without any drilling in an
effort to help heal the tooth, it could make dentistry more proactive and less
invasive.
We are always looking for a way to be more preventive and
less invasive in providing dental care. Advancements like bioactive glass
fillings wont be available for a few years, but we are excited about the
possibilities they may offer.
For more information, visit www.dentistwestchester.com.
Lee T. Brown, DDS
Brown and Kupper, DDS
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