Japanese scientists are advancing a revolutionary dental treatment that could enable people with missing teeth to grow new ones, potentially offering a transformative alternative to traditional dentures and implants.
Unlike reptiles and fish, which naturally regenerate teeth, humans and most mammals are typically limited to just two sets over a lifetime. However, dormant tooth buds—remnants of a potential third set—lie hidden beneath human gums, and researchers believe they may hold the key to regrowth.
A team at Kitano Hospital in Osaka, in collaboration with Kyoto University Hospital, initiated clinical trials in October to test an experimental drug designed to activate these latent tooth buds. Dr. Katsu Takahashi, a leading researcher on the project, described the approach as “completely new” to modern dentistry.
Their method involves targeting a protein called USAG-1, which has been found to inhibit tooth development. Studies on mice and ferrets demonstrated that blocking USAG-1 can stimulate the growth of new teeth, with laboratory images confirming successful regeneration in animal models.
A 2023 study by the team concluded that “antibody treatment in mice is effective for tooth regeneration and can serve as a breakthrough in addressing tooth anomalies in humans.”
Currently, the focus is on addressing a rare hereditary condition affecting about 0.1% of people, in which individuals are born missing six or more permanent teeth. This condition can severely hinder chewing and often forces affected children in Japan to wear face masks to conceal large gaps in their mouths.
“This drug could be a game changer for them,” Dr. Takahashi emphasized.
Although the primary target group is children, researchers are working towards making the treatment widely available, with hopes of launching it as early as 2030.
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