The research offers a potential way to repair teeth and a natural alternative to dental treatment.
While animals such as sharks and elephants can continuously grow new teeth, humans only have one set of teeth from adulthood. The ability to regenerate teeth would be a major leap forward for dentistry.
Unlike implants and fillings, which are fixed and cannot adapt over time, lab-grown teeth made from a patient’s own cells can seamlessly integrate into the jawbone and repair themselves like natural teeth.
World-leading research in this area is being conducted at King’s College London, where scientists have been studying lab-grown teeth for more than a decade.
Xuechen Zhang, from the Department of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences at King’s College London, said: “Fillings are not the best option for restoring teeth. Over time, they weaken tooth structure, have a limited lifespan and can cause further decay or tooth sensitivity. Dental implants require invasive surgery and require a good fit between the implant and the alveolar bone. Both options are artificial, cannot fully restore the natural function of teeth and can cause long-term complications.”
In the latest study, the King’s team, in collaboration with Imperial College London, made an important discovery about the environment required for teeth to grow in the laboratory. They successfully introduced a special material that enables the cells to communicate with each other. This means that one cell can effectively “tell” another cell to start differentiating into a tooth cell. This simulates the environment in which teeth grow, allowing scientists to recreate the process of tooth development in the lab.
“We developed this material in collaboration with Imperial College to replicate the environment surrounding cells in the body, known as the matrix. This means that when we introduce the cultured cells, they are able to send signals to each other and start the tooth formation process,” said Xue Chen.
“Previous attempts have failed because all the signals were sent all at once. This new material releases the signals slowly over time, replicating the reactions that occur in the body.”
Having successfully created the environment required for tooth growth, the scientists now face the challenge of transplanting the teeth from the lab into the patient’s mouth.
Xue Chen added: “We have different ideas about how to implant teeth into the mouth. We can transplant young tooth cells to the location of the missing tooth and let them grow in the mouth. Alternatively, we can grow complete teeth in the lab and then implant them in the patient’s mouth. For both options, we need to initiate the early stages of tooth development in the lab.”
The research is part of a wider effort in the field of regenerative medicine, which aims to use biological principles to repair or replace damaged body parts. Instead of relying on artificial materials such as metal implants or dentures, researchers are working to use stem cells and bioengineered environments to grow natural alternatives.
Dr Ana Angelova Volponi, corresponding author of the paper from King’s College London, said: “As the field advances, the integration of these innovative technologies has the potential to revolutionize dental care, providing sustainable and effective solutions for tooth restoration and regeneration.
“The work being done at King’s College London’s School of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences reflects the cutting-edge research driving this shift, and highlights our School’s commitment to advancing oral health through scientific discovery.”
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