Reported by:  RTT Staff Writer

Dentists may soon be able to switch from dental drills to dental lasers, according to research conducted at National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in Bethesda, Maryland. The study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, found that a low power laser could help trigger the growth of dentin, the hard substance at the tooth’s core.

The animal study showed that the laser could stimulate the growth of stem cells, and, in turn, dentin. The team’s procedure consisted of drilling a hole in a rodent’s molar to mimic an injury before shining the laser into it. Within 12 weeks after a single 5-minute treatment, new dentin had formed in the cavity.

“Everything we need is in the existing tooth structure – the adult stem cells, the growth factors, and exactly the right conditions,” said lead author Praveen Arany. Arany added that if the procedure was developed for humans it could be an inexpensive and less painful alternative to traditional surgeries.