By Meghan Rosen
To rebuild damaged teeth, just add laser light.
Zaps from a low-power laser boost tooth growth in rodents, researchers report May 28 in Science Translational Medicine. The beams of light set off a molecular chain reaction that ends with the regeneration of dentin, the tough stuff inside teeth.
The findings may change the way dentists think about treating patients, says dental stem cell researcher Peter Murray of Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “It’s a new application for lasers in dentistry.”