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"Dentists should take longer to check teeth carefully before drilling and filling of cavities," says Hayashi. "Teeth have self-healing and remineralizing properties, which should be encouraged first. Then, if you decide you must drill, go lightly. I tell my students to pretend they are feathers when using drills: Be gentle and avoid deep digging. Modern tooth-colored filling materials, many pioneered by Japanese companies, do not require deep excavation and can promote healing in teeth."
One of Hayashi's colleagues, Satoshi Imazato, professor of dental materials science at Osaka University, and a guideline coauthor, is working on filling materials that will contain anti-bacterial ingredients to fight decay.