Science news: Lab-grown teeth close to becoming a reality

Although some animals, like elephants or sharks, can regrow new teeth, humans are not so lucky – we are only born with one set of permanent teeth.

Currently, the most common replacements for lost teeth are implants, dentures or crowns but these options tend to fail over time,which results in pain.  

According to Xuechen Zhang from the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences of King’s College London, “fillings aren’t the best solution for repairing teeth. Over time, they will weaken tooth structure, have a limited lifespan, and can lead to further decay or sensitivity.

“Implants require invasive surgery and a good combination of implants and alveolar bone.

“Both solutions are artificial and don’t fully restore natural tooth function, potentially leading to long-term complications.”

But that might be about to change. 

Scientists around the world are working to find long lasting and natural solutions for tooth regrowth. 

Recent researchers are offering the possibility of teeth regeneration. 

While some labs are focusing on the study of stem cells, others are exploring chemical triggers for tooth development.

Drug-based tooth regeneration

Japanese researchers are studying an experimental drug that will lead to the regrowth of human teeth. 

According to the website Popular Mechanics, this research studies an antibody called Uterine sensitization-associated gene-1 (USAG-1) which inhibits the growth of teeth in ferrets and mice. 

In 2021, scientists from Kyoto University discovered a monoclonal antibody (a technique used in fighting cancer) that disrupted the interaction between USAG-1 and molecules known as bone morphogenetic protein, or BMP.

Kyoto’s University’s Katsu Takahashi, a co-author of the study said in a press statement at the time: “We knew that suppressing USAG-1 benefits tooth growth. What we did not know was whether it would be enough.”

After developing the medication to neutralise the USAG-1 protein, Takahashi’s team tested it on mice with missing teeth to grow teeth beyond their normal sets. 

The result was tooth development where none had grown before.

Human trials started in September 2024 and to prove its effectiveness and safety, the drug was administered intravenously. 

No side effects were reported in previous animal studies.

If the human trials go well, Kitano Hospital, in Japan, will offer this treatment to 2 to 7 year old children, who are missing at least four teeth. 

Kitano Hospital expects to have a tooth-regrowth medicine available by 2030. 

At the start, this treatment will only be focusing on patients with congenital tooth deficiency but the goal is to make the treatment available for anyone who’s lost a tooth.

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Stem cell-based regeneration

On the other side of the world, scientists are trying a different approach. 

At King’s College London, researchers have been exploring lab-grown teeth for more than a decade. 

The lab-grown teeth are made from the patient’s own cells and would integrate in the jaw and repair itself like a natural tooth.

“Lab-grown teeth would naturally regenerate, integrating into the jaw as real teeth. They would be stronger, longer lasting, and free from rejection risks, offering a more durable and biologically compatible solution than fillings or implants,” Zhang says.

King’s College London, in collaboration with Imperial College London, developed the right type of environment in order to grow teeth in the lab. 

They use a special kind of material that enables cells to send signals to each other in order to start developing a tooth in the lab.

The next challenge will be to find ways to transfer them from the lab to a patient’s mouth.  

Zhang has a few ideas: “We could transplant the young tooth cells at the location of the missing tooth and let them grow inside the mouth.” 

“Alternatively, we could create the whole tooth in the lab before placing it in the patient’s mouth. For both options, we need to start the very early tooth development process in the lab.”

Millions of people worldwide suffer from some form of edentulism – partial or complete absence of teeth – with 75 percent of the UK’s population not having a complete set of teeth. 

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