Lasers used to stimulate stem-cell growth in teeth
JUN 02, 2014
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.027972
MIT Technology Review : Dental root canals and other similarly painful procedures may one day be avoided by using laser light to stimulate cell regeneration. During a root canal, damaged dental pulp is cleaned out of the center of the tooth and replaced with an inert material. With the new technique , however, the tooth is simply exposed to a low-power laser, which triggers the production of chemicals that, in turn, trigger a growth-stimulating molecule. When tested in rats, the subjects showed enhanced production of new dentin within three months after treatment. Now the researchers are working to test the noninvasive therapy in humans.
© 2014 American Institute of Physics
