A team of researchers led by Pamela C. Yelick from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine is working towards creating living tooth replacements that feel and function like natural teeth. The goal is to develop a more comfortable and stable alternative to current dentures and implants.
About 178 million people in the US are missing at least one tooth, with tooth loss becoming increasingly common as people age worldwide. Modern implants rely on osseointegration, but this process can lead to reduced tactile sensitivity and biological complications.
To address these limitations, researchers have been exploring two main approaches: growing a replacement tooth using a scaffold that guides cells to assemble into a tooth-like structure, or sparking tooth development in place by presenting the right signals to adult cells.
One recent study used decellularized tooth bud scaffolds seeded with human dental pulp cells, porcine dental epithelial cells, and endothelial cells, which formed tooth-like tissues including periodontal ligament. Another approach targets a specific protein that suppresses tooth formation, blocking it in mice and producing new incisors in ferrets.
Industry partners have advanced a humanized anti-USAG-1 antibody for testing in humans, with plans to run the first in-human study and subsequent pediatric trials if early results support it. The goal is to develop a living tooth replacement that can restore ligament-mediated sensation, reconnect to bone through tissues built to bear chewing loads, and reduce pain and bone loss around a replacement.
However, cell-based therapies face challenges such as sourcing compatible epithelial cells at the right developmental stage and pricing within reach of current prosthetic options. As methods improve, researchers will focus on safety, quality control, and whether costs can compete with implant dentistry.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/end-of-dentures-tooth-replacement-science-is-about-to-help-you-regrow-your-own-teeth