December 5, 2023 – Scientists are developing a brand new dental treatment – tissue regeneration – that would replace root canals, in accordance with an announcement from the ADA Forsyth Institute.
Forsyth researchers worked on a study that appeared in The Journal of Dental Research.
When reporting on research CBS News explains that the pulp inside a tooth can develop into inflamed and infected attributable to tooth decay or after an injury. Typically, the issue is treated with root canal treatment – the pulp and nerve are removed, the foundation canal is cleaned after which it's crammed with material and sealed.
“The ideal therapeutic goal is the regeneration of the dental pulp, which cannot be achieved with (root canal therapy),” the study states.
However, root canals will be uncomfortable and result in complications corresponding to infections or fractures.
The Forsyth researchers are studying using a molecule called resolvin E1, which is produced by the body and has been shown to regulate excessive inflammation, in accordance with CBS.
It was in a position to regenerate the pulp and decelerate infection and inflammation. The treatment could at some point be developed to treat other parts of the body, the researchers say.
“Because the application of (Resolvin E1) to the dental pulp promotes the formation of stem cells that can differentiate into dentin (tooth), bone, cartilage or fat, this technology has enormous potential for the field of regenerative medicine via the tissues in the Dental pulp “teeth,” said Thomas Van Dyke, DDS, of ADA Forsyth and a senior scientist who led the study. “For example, it could be used to grow bones in other parts of the body.”