Kyoto – Next month, researchers in the Kansai region will initiate a groundbreaking clinical trial aimed at developing a medication to stimulate tooth growth. The trial, involving experts from Kitano Hospital and Kyoto University Hospital, is designed to address congenital anodontia, a condition where individuals are born with significantly fewer teeth.
Initially, the experimental drug will be tested for safety on adult men who have lost their back teeth before moving on to children with congenital anodontia. The researchers envision the treatment becoming widely available by around 2030.
Congenital anodontia affects roughly 1 in 100 people, with about 1 in 1,000 having a genetic tendency to lose six or more teeth. Currently, there are no definitive treatments for this condition, necessitating frequent adjustments of dentures as affected children grow.
The development of this drug follows the identification of a protein, USAG-1, which inhibits tooth growth. By targeting this protein, the researchers have successfully induced tooth growth in mice and dogs with the condition.
The trials will extend through August of next year. The first phase will involve administering the drug intravenously to 30 healthy men aged 30 to 64 at Kyoto University Hospital to assess safety and dosing. The second phase will test the drug on children aged 2 to 7 who are missing at least four teeth.
Future applications of the treatment might include addressing tooth loss from decay and other issues.
Katsu Takahashi, head of the dentistry and oral surgery department at Kitano Hospital, expressed the team’s commitment: “We aim to fulfill the hopes of those struggling with tooth loss and improve their quality of life.”
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