A new gel that can be ‘rapidly and easily applied’ to repair and regenerate enamel could hit the market next year.
The gel can be rapidly applied to teeth in the same way dentists currently apply standard fluoride treatments. However, this new protein-based gel is fluoride free and works by ‘mimicking key features’ of the natural proteins that guide the growth of dental enamel in infancy.
When applied, the gel creates a thin and robust layer that impregnates teeth, filling holes and cracks in them. It then functions ‘as a scaffold’ that takes calcium and phosphate ions from saliva and promotes the controlled growth of new minerals.
Enamel degradation is a major contributor to tooth decay and is linked to dental problems affecting almost half of the world’s population.
The project was led by a specialist team from the University of Nottingham’s School of Pharmacy and Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering in collaboration with researchers across the world.
‘We are very excited because the technology has been designed with the clinician and patient in mind’
Professor Alvaro Mata, chair in biomedical engineering and biomaterials at University of Nottingham’s School of Pharmacy and Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Dr Abshar Hasan, a postdoctoral fellow and lead author of the study, said: ‘Dental enamel has a unique structure, which gives enamel its remarkable properties that protect our teeth throughout life against physical, chemical, and thermal insults.
‘When our material is applied to demineralised or eroded enamel, or exposed dentine, the material promotes the growth of crystals in an integrated and organised manner, recovering the architecture of our natural healthy enamel.’
The team hope to release the product next year.
Professor Alvaro Mata, chair in biomedical engineering and biomaterials, said: ‘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.
‘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 associated with loss of enamel and exposed dentine.’
He added: ‘This innovation could soon be helping patients worldwide.’
Tooth regrowth progress
This comes as researchers find that ‘cellular self-organisation’ in dental development may inform future developments in tooth regrowth.
A new study from the Yonsei University College of Dentistry explored whether the location of tooth growth cells in the mouth affects their development. To test this, cells taken from the lingual (tongue) side of mouse dentition were separated from those from the buccal (cheek) side and stimulated to grow.
The team found that cells on the lingual side developed into the tooth itself and its structure while those on the buccal side were more focused on stem cell activity, surrounding tissues and cellular repair.
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