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Tooth Regeneration May Replace Drill-and-Fill

11 points by rms 19y ago

giardini 19y ago
The dentists will decide. Technologies such as this one, that that do not threaten dentists' incomes, may succeed. But any technologies that threaten dentists' incomes, such as vaccines for tooth decay, inevitably fail. Tooth decay vaccines have been under development since at least 1970. To the best of my knowledge none have come to market in the U.S. although the FDA approved human tests in 1983 and IIRC some have been introduced in Europe, esp. England. We are promised a caries vaccine "real soon now". That is to say we are in the same situation we were 30 years ago: no tooth decay vaccine but plenty of promises. Isn't (dental) science wonderful! The ADA recently refused to allow more graduates from dental schools despite the burgeoning demand for dentistry services. This guarantees that dental fees will rise rapidly in the next few years. Yet another medical field that must be deregulated, dismantled and restructured.
- quickpost 19y ago
  http://reddit.com/info/6eaxh/comments/c03lwfe http://reddit.com/info/6eaxh/comments/c03lwfe
- jamesbritt 19y ago
  "Technologies such as this one, that that do not threaten dentists' incomes, may succeed. But any technologies that threaten dentists' incomes, such as vaccines for tooth decay, inevitably fail." Possible future: One or more developing nation, way short on all health care options, and more so on dentists, will bypass patent law and start using the vaccine. There will be outrage, of course, from some nations, but not enough to stop it. Before too long it will be clear that the vaccine works, and some modern nations will employ it (Canada, perhaps, or Sweden). Eventually everyone will get to use it because the benefits are too damn obvious to fight. Dentists will learn PHP to survive. :)
ericb 19y ago
I'm disappointed by progress in the dental field. I have a feeling in 80 years, people will look at present-day dentistry with particular horror. You could say this about modern day surgery in general, but there's a special horror in "You were awake while they drilled into your teeth?"

11 points by rms 19y ago

The dentists will decide. Technologies such as this one, that that do not threaten dentists' incomes, may succeed. But any technologies that threaten dentists' incomes, such as vaccines for tooth decay, inevitably fail. Tooth decay vaccines have been under development since at least 1970. To the best of my knowledge none have come to market in the U.S. although the FDA approved human tests in 1983 and IIRC some have been introduced in Europe, esp. England. We are promised a caries vaccine "real soon now". That is to say we are in the same situation we were 30 years ago: no tooth decay vaccine but plenty of promises. Isn't (dental) science wonderful! The ADA recently refused to allow more graduates from dental schools despite the burgeoning demand for dentistry services. This guarantees that dental fees will rise rapidly in the next few years. Yet another medical field that must be deregulated, dismantled and restructured.

quickpost 19y ago
http://reddit.com/info/6eaxh/comments/c03lwfe http://reddit.com/info/6eaxh/comments/c03lwfe
jamesbritt 19y ago
"Technologies such as this one, that that do not threaten dentists' incomes, may succeed. But any technologies that threaten dentists' incomes, such as vaccines for tooth decay, inevitably fail." Possible future: One or more developing nation, way short on all health care options, and more so on dentists, will bypass patent law and start using the vaccine. There will be outrage, of course, from some nations, but not enough to stop it. Before too long it will be clear that the vaccine works, and some modern nations will employ it (Canada, perhaps, or Sweden). Eventually everyone will get to use it because the benefits are too damn obvious to fight. Dentists will learn PHP to survive. :)

ericb 19y ago

I'm disappointed by progress in the dental field. I have a feeling in 80 years, people will look at present-day dentistry with particular horror. You could say this about modern day surgery in general, but there's a special horror in "You were awake while they drilled into your teeth?"