Baby, That Enamel Is Never Growing Back

Your teeth’s enamel is formed when you are still a baby — even younger, actually — and that’s what your teeth use for the rest of your life.
Tooth enamel is a mineral substance that coats the outside of your tooth. It is incredibly hard—the hardest substance in your body—but it is also not a living part of your body. Therefore, it cannot grow back or heal like other parts of the body like hair, skin or even bone.
Enamel is made out of calcium phosphate and protects the dentin underneath. This keeps your teeth from being too sensitive to heat or cold since the nerve that keeps your inner tooth alive is properly insulated.

In the Beginning

Your body does not continue to build enamel as you grow. In fact, enamel only forms in the very first stages of life—right at the embryo. Cells in the embryo called ameloblasts deposit enamel onto tooth buds. The calcium phosphate building blocks of enamel form into scaffold-like shapes, which are then tightly packed into rods which coalesce into the outer layer of teeth. This process is only repeated once — for your adult set of teeth, which are already being built as baby teeth come in. So, by the time you are an adult, your enamel building days are long gone.

Avoid the Myth

There are many dental products that falsely advertise that they can repair tooth enamel. This is not true. Modern science has not devised a way to stimulate new enamel growth in your mouth nor are there methods for replacing damaged enamel with the original minerals. However, certain products can re-mineralize enamel which can save what is left with proper care afterward.
There have been attempts to use a crystal layer around the teeth as an enamel substitute, but these methods are still in very early, experimental stages and some dentists and scientists have debated the chances of success with these techniques. When enamel is gone and pain arises, it’s time to get a filling or other treatment at your dentist.

Back in Action

The good news is that there are several techniques that can repair damaged teeth quickly and keep your teeth looking like new. Depending on the severity of decay, fillings, veneers or other techniques can bring your smile back and full as ever.