LONDON (KGO) -- The future may give people who hate going to the dentist a new reason to smile -- scientists are developing a pain-free filling.
Researchers at King's College London are working on a quiet, painless procedure that uses low frequency electric current to help teeth repair themselves.
It could put an end to your dentist's drill and do away with fillings for cavities that are found in the early stages.
The new treatment replaces minerals such as calcium and phosphate that are lost in decaying enamel through a natural "remineralization" process. It uses electric currents to drive the minerals back into the tooth to repair it.
Though the procedure is expected to treat various stages of tooth decay, it will likely not work on cavities and decay that are too far gone.
If approved, it could be in dentists' offices within three