Scientists Advance Living Fillings and Lab-Grown Teeth as 70% of Adults Fear Dentists
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jul 19
Scientists Advance Living Fillings and Lab-Grown Teeth as 70% of Adults Fear Dentists
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jul 19
Summary
Researchers in the US and UK are pushing regenerative dentistry toward self-repairing cavities, enamel-based “living fillings” and eventually whole lab-grown teeth as alternatives to synthetic fillings and implants.
Stem-cell and organoid work is driving that progress: University of Washington scientists coaxed cells into enamel- and dentine-forming types, while other teams are targeting proteins and genes that could trigger teeth to rebuild dentine naturally.
Animal studies have already produced proof-of-principle results, including human-like teeth grown in minipigs over three months and hybrid human-mouse tooth structures with developing roots.
Current fixes remain limited—fillings often last 5 to 20 years, crowns about 15 years, and implants can crack or harbor bacteria—helping explain demand for biological replacements.
Human use is still years away because researchers say primate studies, more funding and better tooth-development environments are needed first, though the work could also aid efforts to regenerate bones and organs.
As scientists near the ability to regrow teeth, what is the biggest non-scientific barrier to making dental implants obsolete?
If we can regrow a complex tooth, what does this breakthrough mean for the future of regenerating entire human organs?
With lab-grown teeth on the horizon, will the future of dentistry become a luxury only the wealthy can afford?
From Lab to Clinic: The Promise and Challenges of Whole Tooth Regeneration in Modern Dentistry
Overview
Regenerative dentistry is entering a new era, with research moving from the lab to human clinical trials. The drug TRG-035 is at the center of this progress, aiming to stimulate the growth of new teeth by targeting dormant tooth buds in adults. This approach works by blocking a protein that acts as the body's off-switch for tooth development, a discovery made after researchers saw mice without this gene grow extra teeth. Early animal studies showed that a single shot of TRG-035 could produce functional teeth, setting the stage for human trials and the promise of biological tooth replacement.