Nails in a dream often reflect self-care and a quiet form of defense -- how well you're maintaining yourself, or how prepared you feel to push back when it's needed. Nails that are broken or missing can point to depleted self-care, while strong, growing nails often reflect renewed resilience.
It is much worse for an Artist to conceive he knows those things which he is ignorant of, than to be ignorant of those thing which he ought to know. - Cardan Girolamo (1501-1576)