Researchers at the University of Nottingham have developed a gel that mimics the proteins responsible for building enamel during infancy.

 

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance the human body produces. It is also the only tissue the body cannot regenerate on its own. Once it is gone, it is gone - until now.

Researchers at the University of Nottingham have developed a gel that mimics the proteins responsible for building enamel during infancy. When applied to a damaged tooth, it acts as a microscopic scaffold, filling cracks and pores and then attracting calcium and phosphate ions directly from saliva to grow a new mineral layer.

The process is called epitaxial mineralization. The key word is "epitaxial" - the regrown enamel doesn't just sit on top of the tooth. It integrates seamlessly with the existing structure, matching the original architecture and physical strength of natural enamel.

In testing, the regenerated enamel survived brushing, chewing forces, and exposure to acidic food - performing identically to healthy natural enamel. It is fluoride-free. It is non-invasive. And it produces no secondary sludge or waste.

The researchers have already co-founded a startup called Mintech-Bio, with a first clinical product potentially reaching market as early as next year.

Tooth decay is the most widespread chronic disease on Earth, affecting 3.5 billion people globally. The current standard of care is drilling and filling - replacing destroyed tissue with synthetic material that doesn't integrate, wears out, and eventually needs replacing. This gel would replace all of that with tissue that is, biologically, the real thing.

Wonderful Engineering