The End of the Dreaded Dental Drill?

Once a dental cavity has been detected, the dentist has little recourse but to drill out the decayed area. The mere thought of that causes many people to skip their annual dentist visit. A new technology could bring relief to those of us who dread the drill. King’s College London is currently developing a technique that promises to detect tooth decay almost as soon as it’s begun. This new dental technology could put an end to the drilling and filling misery.

As reported in Chemistry & Industry (C&I), published by the Society of Chemical Industry, this promising new technology is based on Raman spectroscopy, a method used to distinguish between different chemicals by identifying each molecule’s unique fingerprint. Researchers have found that this technique can also be used to detect decay by pointing a tiny optical fibre at the tooth to check on its health. During a preliminary study at King’s College London, researchers were able to detect chemical changes in teeth by the way light is scattered when a laser is fired at the tooth: the bacteria responsible for decay scatter light in a different way than healthy teeth.

Currently, tooth decay is diagnosed either by visual examination or x-ray. By then, however, the damage has been done, and the dentist has to drill. If the decay is caught early enough, the affected teeth can be repaired. A larger trial using more teeth samples is in the planning stages. This technology may be available in dental offices in as little as five years.

Tags: Dental Technology, Research