Dental fillings are an unpleasant experience, but they are necessary to fill cavities and prevent further damage. What if there was a way to avoid them altogether while keeping your teeth healthy?
A research team at University of Nottingham in the UK is developing a new gel which could help protect against tooth decay and regenerate damaged tooth enamel. The gel fills holes and cracks in teeth when applied and contains a modified version of amelogenin, a protein that helps guide the development of enamel in infants, according to research published in the journal. Nature communications this month.
“The gel was able to grow crystals epitaxially, meaning it has the same crystallographic orientation as existing enamel,” said Alvaro Mata, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials at the University of Nottingham. Young Scientist.
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Enamel is the hard layer of the tooth that protects the softer inner layers from damage caused by general wear and tear, acid and bacteria. Tooth decay occurs when the enamel layer breaks down. Enamel does not regenerate naturally, while fluoride treatment and remineralization do toothpaste that uses nano-hydroxyapatite they can offer a temporary fix, they are not a permanent solution, unlike getting a dental filling.
Enamel degradation is the main factor in tooth decay and is associated with dental problems affecting up to 50% of the world’s population.
The new gel creates a thin but durable layer that adheres to the teeth for several weeks, using calcium and phosphate to stimulate the growth of new crystals in the enamel.
In a separate email interview with CNET, Mata explained how long he expects the gel to last. “The gel is biodegradable and the remineralization process takes about two weeks. It’s applied once and will last like natural enamel, depending on people’s health habits.”
Research shows it works on severely damaged enamel
“Enamel has a unique structure, which gives enamel its remarkable properties that protect our teeth throughout our lives from physical, chemical and thermal insults.” said Absar Hasanpostdoctoral fellow and lead author of the study. “When our material is applied to deionized or eroded enamel or exposed dentin, the material promotes crystal growth in an integrated and organized manner, restoring the architecture of our natural, healthy enamel.”
This procedure was effective even when the enamel was badly worn down and the dentin underneath was exposed, according to the research.
Matta said he believes the gel can be used as a preventative solution to prevent dental fillings, although dentists we spoke to are more cautiously optimistic.
“If used as a preventive solution, the tooth filling stage can be avoided,” Mata said. “In a way, it has to be treated as a chronic disease where patients have to start at home with more education and care. That said, we’ve been working on this for 16 years, which has allowed us to develop enough expertise to understand, control and shape the technology. Because of that, we now have a flexible technology that will come into many types of products.
Mata said he is “very excited because the technology is designed with the clinician and the patient in mind. It is safe, it can be implemented easily and quickly, and it is scalable.” He has started a startup called Mintech-Bio and hopes to launch the first product next year, according to New Scientist, after the clinical trial.
Dentists are cautiously optimistic
CNET reached out to several dentists to get their take on the gel.
Bianca Velayo, a general dentist in Henderson, Nevada and owner of a practice at PDS Healthhe was careful about the timing.
“Dental materials like this rarely come to market overnight, even with exciting results,” he said. “After early laboratory success, the real test is how it performs in the human mouth under real-world conditions: heat, saliva, bacteria, diet and daily habits. Between laboratory research, multiple trial phases and regulatory approval, it typically takes five to 10 years to see such a material in everyday dental use.”
However, Velayo also said she is excited about the prospect of them replacing traditional dental fillings in the future.
“This gel hints at the future of dentistry, where we could actually regenerate what’s been lost. It’s the difference between repairing and truly healing the tooth,” he said.
Another dentist and owner of multiple practices at PDS Health, Ahmad Mokbil, said the treatment has potential, but he doesn’t think it will be possible anytime soon, as it requires a change in patient education, dentists, dental coverage and treatment protocols. However, he pointed to the existing technology being used.
“We use an FDA-approved treatment called Curodont, which has similar characteristics and is effective for treating early tooth decay,” Mokbil said. “The number of applications required can vary depending on how the tooth responds, the size of the cavity and how early the intervention is done.”
