It could soon be possible for your damaged tooth to repair itself

Enamel may be the hardest tissue in the body, but once it’s damaged, it cannot self-repair. The good news is scientists have discovered a method by which its complex structure can be reproduced, essentially allowing the enamel to grow back. In studies thus far, the repaired enamel has been found to have similar strength and wear-resistance to natural, undamaged enamel.

At present, materials such as resin, metal alloys, amalgam, and ceramics are used to repair damaged tooth enamel but they are not ideal. The team behind the research say the new material is not only safe but also cheap and can be prepared on a large-scale. That’s important, especially considering about 2.4 billion people worldwide live with decaying teeth,