Biomimetic self-assembling peptides as an advanced, innovative treatment for hypomineralised dental enamel

Dental enamel formation occurs via organic-matrix mediated nucleation and crystal growth resulting in highly oriented, aligned apatite crystallites. Molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) is an enamel pathology with low mineral density, disordered and misaligned crystallites. It has as relatively high prevalence in populations world-wide and is challenging to treat. Our patented biomimetic self-assembling peptides (SAPs) are able to direct de novo crystallite nucleation and growth in enamel affected by demineralisation, therefore may guide oriented and aligned mineral growth in hypomineralised enamel. We will characterise the crystallographic preferred orientation and spatial distribution of alignment in MIH enamel with or without SAP treatment and related this to mineral concentration, to reveal whether our novel SAPs offer an advanced, innovative clinical treatment pathway for hypomineralised enamel.