You may never have to have a root canal again with this new technology

Root canals are potentially painful, take days to get over and they can cost a pretty penny, especially if you don't have dental insurance. But now a new technique called regenerative tooth fillings might save you from all of it.

Researchers at the University of University of Nottingham and the Wyss Institute at Harvard University have crafted a therapeutic synthetic, light-curable, biomaterial that uses your own stem cells inside your teeth to repair and regenerate the inner part of your tooth, the dentin layer. According to Engadget, the fix might not turn your smile into that Hollywood look, but it would heal your root canal and even help prevent further problems from developing underneath fillings.

Like modern fillings and fixes, the substance cures using a special light and wouldn't require a cap or a crown covering the tooth. Many of those can cost as much as the root canal itself, doubling the dental bill.

“Existing dental fillings are toxic to cells and are therefore incompatible with pulp tissue inside the tooth. In cases of dental pulp disease and injury, a root canal is typically performed to remove the infected tissues," said Dr. Adam Celiz, Marie Curie Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham.