The breakthrough could revolutionize preventive and restorative dental care.Getty Images
Losing tooth enamel has long been a one-way street. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. But that may soon change.
Scientists have developed a new gel that can repair and regenerate enamel, offering a glimpse of a future where teeth can heal themselves.
The breakthrough, led by researchers at the University of Nottingham’s School of Pharmacy and Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, could revolutionize preventive and restorative dental care.
Their bioinspired material mimics the proteins that guide enamel growth in infancy — only this time, it helps adults regain what time and decay have taken away.
The study details how this fluoride-free, protein-based gel creates a thin, durable layer that seeps into microscopic cracks and holes in teeth.
Acting as a scaffold, it pulls calcium and phosphate ions from saliva and promotes the organized growth of new minerals in a process known as epitaxial mineralization.
The result? Newly grown enamel that restores both the structure and properties of natural teeth.
Unlike standard fluoride varnishes that merely slow down decay, this gel could actively rebuild tooth enamel, something dentistry has never achieved before.
The new material is applied in the same way as conventional fluoride treatments, but with far more regenerative potential. It can even be used to grow enamel-like layers on exposed dentine, addressing issues like tooth sensitivity and improving the bonding of dental restorations.
“Dental enamel has a unique structure, which gives enamel its remarkable properties that protect our teeth throughout life against physical, chemical, and thermal insults,” said Dr. Abshar Hasan, the study’s lead author and postdoctoral fellow at Nottingham.
“When our material is applied to demineralized or eroded enamel, or exposed dentine, the material promotes the growth of crystals in an integrated and organized manner, recovering the architecture of our natural healthy enamel.”
Electron microscopy images of a tooth with demineralised enamel showing eroded apatite crystals (left) and a similar demineralised tooth after a 2-week treatment showing epitaxially regenerated enamel crystals (right). Credit: University of Nottingham
Enamel degradation affects nearly half of the world’s population, contributing to cavities, infections, and even systemic health issues such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Current solutions can only manage symptoms, none can restore lost enamel.
Hasan’s team tested the regenerated tissue under real-world conditions such as brushing, chewing, and exposure to acidic foods.
“We have tested the mechanical properties of these regenerated tissues under conditions simulating ‘real-life situations’… and found that the regenerated enamel behaves just like healthy enamel,” he said.
The research team believes their innovation could be available to patients soon. “We are very excited because the technology has been designed with the clinician and patient in mind. It is safe, can be easily and rapidly applied, and it is scalable,” said Professor Alvaro Mata, Chair in Biomedical Engineering & Biomaterials.
“Also, the technology is versatile, which opens the opportunity to be translated into multiple types of products to help patients of all ages suffering from a variety of dental problems.”
Through their startup, Mintech-Bio, the researchers are already working to bring the product to market, possibly as early as next year. If successful, this could mark the biggest leap in dental care since the advent of fluoride toothpaste.