Adults could one day develop their own teeth of replacement instead of being filled – as scientists make a basic discovery.
This study offers a possible way of repairing teeth and a natural alternative to dental treatment.
While some animals such as sharks and elephants can constantly cultivate new teeth, people only have one set of adulthood. The ability to regenerate teeth would be a major leap forward for dentistry.
Unlike implants and fills, which are stable and cannot be adapted over time, a laboratory tooth made by a patient’s cells could be perfectly incorporated into the jaw and repaired as a natural tooth.
Top research is being carried out in this area at King’s College, London, where scientists have explored laboratory teeth for more than a decade.
Xuechen Zhang, from the School of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, said: “fills are not the best solution for teeth restoration. In long -term complications.”
Laboratory teeth will naturally be regenerated, incorporating the jaw as real teeth. They would be stronger, longer and free from risks of rejection, offering a more durable and biologically compatible solution than fillings or implants.
Xuechen Zhang, from the Dentistry School, Oral and Craniofacial Science, King’s College London
In the latest study, the king’s team, in collaboration with Imperial College London, made a basic discovery of the environment needed to develop teeth in the laboratory. They have now successfully introduced a special type of material that allows cells to communicate with each other. This means that one cell can effectively “say” another to start differentiating in one tooth cells. This mimics the environment of developing teeth and allows scientists to recreate the process of developing teeth in the laboratory.
Xuechen said: “We have developed this material in collaboration with Imperial College to reproduce the environment around the body cells, known as Matrix.
“Previous attempts have failed, as all the signals were sent with one touch. This new material releases signals slowly over time, reproducing what happens to the body.”
Having successfully created the environment needed to develop teeth, scientists are now facing the challenge of getting them from the laboratory in patients’ mouths.
Xuechen added: “We have different ideas to put teeth in the mouth.
Research is part of a broader effort in regenerative medicine, which aims to utilize biology for repairing or replacing damaged parts of the body. Instead of relying on artificial materials such as metal implants or dentures, researchers work to develop natural replacements using stem cells and biotechnological environments.
The corresponding author of the document Dr Ana Angelova Volponi, King’s College London, said: “As the sector evolves, the integration of such innovative techniques has the ability to revolutionize dental care, offering sustainable and effective solutions for repair and regeneration.
“The work being carried out at the Dentistry School, oral and craniofacial sciences in King’s College, London, is an example of the cutting -edge research that leads this transformation, underlining our commitment to promoting oral health through scientific discovery.”
