The future of dentistry is not going to be the use of any generic dental hand piece but more likely to be a painless device like the one developed recently by the researchers and engineers from the University of Missouri.
The device I am talking about today is a new anticariogenic painless plasma brush. It only takes 30 seconds for the plasma brush along with chemical reactions to clean out and disinfect cavities before they are filled. In addition to the bacteria-killing properties, the “cool flame” from the plasma brush forms a better bond for cavity fillings. The chemical reactions involved with the plasma brush actually change the surface of the tooth, which allows for a strong and robust bonding with the filling material. The plasma brush uses chemical reactions to disinfect and clean out cavities for fillings. In addition to the bacteria-killing properties, the “cool flame” from the plasma brush forms a better bond for cavity fillings. The chemical reactions involved with the plasma brush actually change the surface of the tooth, which allows for a strong and robust bonding with the filling material.
Also, according to the university release,“200 million tooth restorations cost Americans an estimated $50 billion a year, and it is estimated that replacement fillings comprise 75 percent of a dentist’s work. The plasma brush would help reduce those costs,” said Hao Li, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the MU College of Engineering. “In addition, a tooth can only support two or three restorations before it must be pulled. Studies indicate that fillings are 60 percent stronger with the plasma brush, which would increase the filling lifespan. This would be a big benefit to the patient, as well as dentists and insurance companies.”
If all goes well with the human trials beginning at the University of Tennessee-Memphis in 2012, researchers state the plasma brush could be replacing dentists grinding drills.This is a good news for the cavity prone or pain phobic people, especially because of their constant apprehension towards shrilling sound of the dental drill.
