CHICAGO (Reuters Health) - A ``remineralizing filling material'' called amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) may be the best news ever for drill-phobic dental patients. Researchers say the compound not only helps prevent cavities but also helps small, existing cavities heal on their own.

``ACP is already being used in some applications in dental offices,'' according to Dr. Joe Antonucci, a research chemist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

In an interview with Reuters Health, Antonucci pointed out that ``at least 50% of all fillings are replaced because of recurrent tooth decay''--the kind of decay that happens as bacteria go to work in the small spaces in and around fillings.

Presenting his findings here Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, Antonucci explained that, in lab studies using enamel from cow's teeth, ACP effectively reversed the erosive process that causes cavities. The compound does this by releasing calcium and phosphate ions that ``in the right proportions, can form the natural mineral that is found in teeth and bones,'' Antonucci explained.

Ideally, he said, dentists would apply ACP to the surface of the tooth as they filled existing cavities, so that ``new cavities may be minimized or prevented.''

The compound could have other applications as well--as an ''adhesive cement'' to help braces adhere to the tooth surface, as a root canal sealant, or as a means of reducing painful tooth sensitivity. And because ACP acts as a remineralizer, researchers are currently investigating its potential use as a healing aid in bone repair, as well.

Antonucci stressed that, so far at least, the compound has only been found useful in repairing relatively small cavities, so 'drilling and filling' will probably remain the first treatment option for larger cavities for the foreseeable future. Right now, he said, ``we don't envisage it as a permanent filling.''

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