Replacing teeth can be a very expensive endeavor, with bills reaching thousands per tooth. Yet, we have all experienced issues with our teeth at some point that required fillings, crowns, or having the tooth pulled out. What if regrowing teeth was an option? Well, as it turns out, there is a chance that it soon will be! If you are wondering how this is possible, keep reading below!
Growing a Third Set of Teeth
For many years, scientists have been searching for approaches that could potentially replace the traditional methods of fixing teeth with fillings or crowns. According to a researcher based in Osaka, Katsu Takahashi, our species once possessed the ability to grow a third set of teeth. His team believes that humans actually still possess the ‘buds’ needed to grow another set of teeth. According to Takahashi, “The number of teeth varied through the mutation of just one gene,” he said. “If we make that the target of our research, there should be a way to change the number of teeth (people have).”
The USAG-1 Molecule
The only problem is the presence of a molecule called USAG-1. This molecule controls how many teeth we develop as adults, inhibiting any further growth. Takahashi’s team announced that they had created a medicine capable of turning USAG-1 off in 2023. They accomplished this by administering antibodies against USAG-1 via RNA. However, tests up to now have been limited to animal subjects, with humans recently added to trials. If found effective, this breakthrough medicine could be available to the public as soon as 2030.
Using Stem Cells
Another potential approach to regrowing teeth involves using stem cells. This is because they are pluripotent, which means a generic cell can produce a more specific offspring. In order to do this, they need to be able to control what kind of offspring can be developed from a parent stem cell. So far, proof of principle has already been proven in a lab in 2023 by a team from the University of Washington School of Dentistry. They managed to use stem cells to create organoids that produce the proteins that form enamel. In the near future, it may be possible to use this approach to patch up teeth. It would essentially act as a ‘living filling’ that would grow to fill the space created by a cavity.
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Using Minerals for Regrowing Teeth
Another method that has been proposed for repairing enamel is using minerals instead of living cells. One research team showed that this was achievable in 2019 by chemically creating a gel containing calcium phosphate, an essential component of enamel. Researchers from Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China used the mixture to treat damaged tooth samples. According to the research team, the gel created a three-micrometer-thick layer of enamel. Unfortunately, none of these treatments are currently commercially available. However, their potential capacity for regrowing teeth should give individuals a reason to smile.
The Bottom Line on Regrowing Teeth
The concept of regrowing teeth, once regarded to be science fiction, is soon becoming a real possibility. Revolutionary research currently includes the USAG-1 molecule, stem cell applications, and mineral-based enamel regeneration. This means that the future of dental treatment may shift away from traditional fillings and crowns and toward other repairing alternatives. While these procedures are still being tested and refined, the possibility of regenerating teeth could transform oral health in the coming years. If successful, these advances will save consumers money on dental operations. They will also provide a more natural and long-lasting solution to tooth loss and decay.
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