While diamonds are more associated with jewellery or in industry as a drill, US medical scientists think they may have a use in dentistry as well.

It seems that the surface of the gemstone allows proteins to be used to promote bone growth. This will inevitably be useful for those being treated for dental problems.

However, the product required to help in this process is in a special form of diamond called nanodiamonds. The latter are by-products of conventional mining. They are small balls measuring about 5 nanometres in size.

Bone growth is a problem for people suffering from osteonecrosis. This is a debilitating disorder in which bone breaks down or crumbles. In turn this interferes with blood flow.

As a result of this sufferers have trouble eating and speaking.

If perfected the technique will help many people who require dental implants, as crumbling of bone usually occurs around jointed areas.

At the moment the cost of dental implants can be prohibitive. It is also a relatively long and invasive procedure. By making use of nanodiamonds it is possible that the time taken could be reduced, with the patient’s jaw allowed to recover naturally.

The nanodiamonds effectively act as a catalyst for the development and delivery of protein produced by the patient’s own body. This has got to be preferable to current procedures.

Finally, the nanodiamonds can apparently be administered non-invasively; for example via an oral rinse or an injection.

It is likely to take several years before this new technology is safe to use, but it is useful to know that cosmetic dentistry is fast catching up with its medical equivalent.