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Accupal Takes the Steve Martin Out of Dentistry
Posted by Mark Wilson at 5:10 AM on August 1, 2008
The Accupal won't make your next root canal painless, but it will lessen the sting of the needle. Essentially an ultrasonic toothbrush with a hole in it, when coupled with minor amounts of topical anesthetic, you can apparently poke and prod someone's mouth all day without pain. It seems to work through a combination of loosening/stretching the tissue (so the needle goes in easier) and slightly numbing the tissue (we assume by overloading those nerves with all the vibration). Regardless, we hope our flossing regimen pays off to the point that we never discover if this thing really works. [Accupal via Medgadget]
For some people, just the sound of a dental drill is enough to cause panic--but the good news is that this barbaric procedure may be a thing of the past. UK researchers have developed a technology that spots tooth decay before it begins using a technology based on Raman spectroscopy--a method that is currently used to identify chemicals. A new study has determined that harmful bacteria can be detected by analysing how light is scattered when a laser is fired at the tooth. 
Scientists are hard at work on making teeth regrow the crystals that make up dentin and enamel, allowing them to phase out fillings and drillings completely. The goal is to spot tooth decay early and then get the teeth to grow healthy tooth-matter over the bad spots. No fuss, no muss. They say that the tech will be ready for primetime in just a few years. So long, toothbrush! I don't need you anymore! [
How dedicated are you to using a Bluetooth microphone with your phone? Are you dedicated enough to drill a small hole in your teeth to install a tiny mic? Well, if so, here's one for you. Hit the jump for a picture of it in-mouth and a word of warning about DIY dentistry.
Drink soda all day?
