A team led by the University of Nottingham developed a gel that uses engineered elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) to recreate the protein scaffold that guides enamel formation. In lab tests on extracted teeth the scaffold promoted epitaxial mineralization so new enamel crystals aligned with existing tooth structure, producing tissue with strength similar to natural enamel. The researchers have launched a start-up and plan human trials to confirm safety and long-term durability.
Dentists May Soon 'Regrow' Tooth Enamel Using a Simple Gel, Lab Tests Show
A team led by the University of Nottingham developed a gel that uses engineered elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) to recreate the protein scaffold that guides enamel formation. In lab tests on extracted teeth the scaffold promoted epitaxial mineralization so new enamel crystals aligned with existing tooth structure, producing tissue with strength similar to natural enamel. The researchers have launched a start-up and plan human trials to confirm safety and long-term durability.
19:33, 07.11.2025Health
Trips to the dentist rarely make anyone's list of pleasures, but a new gel developed by an international team led by researchers at the University of Nottingham could make enamel repair quicker and less invasive. The material aims to restore tooth enamel — a tissue humans cannot naturally regenerate once it's lost — potentially reducing future decay and the need for repeated restorations.
How the gel works
The gel mimics the way enamel first forms during tooth development. Natural enamel growth relies on a protein scaffold (amelogenin) that organizes mineral crystals. The researchers recreated this scaffold with engineered proteins called elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs), which guide a process called epitaxial mineralization.
When applied to demineralized enamel or exposed dentine on extracted teeth in the laboratory, the ELR scaffold promoted the nucleation and aligned growth of new enamel crystals from calcium and phosphate in solution. Crucially, the new crystals integrated seamlessly with existing enamel or dentine crystal structures.
"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," says pharmaceutical scientist Abshar Hasan of the University of Nottingham.
Performance and next steps
Mechanical tests that simulated everyday stresses — tooth brushing, chewing and brief exposure to acidic foods — suggest the regenerated enamel behaves similarly to healthy, natural enamel and exhibits comparable strength. The team says the gel is quick and straightforward to apply, which could make it suitable for use in dental clinics.
The researchers have founded a start-up to advance the technology, but they emphasize that laboratory success does not guarantee clinical effectiveness. The approach still needs careful testing in living human mouths to evaluate long-term safety, durability and performance under real-world conditions. The study was published in Nature Communications.
Limitations and outlook: Results come from laboratory work on extracted teeth and in vitro solutions; human clinical trials are required before this can become a routine dental treatment. If successful, the gel could become a minimally invasive option to restore enamel and reduce repeat dental procedures.