Imagine a world where you don’t need to use dentures or implants after losing a tooth. Japanese scientists have made an important advance in regenerative medicine: a drug that could allow humans to grow a third set of teeth. The research, which focused on a single gene responsible for tooth growth, has begun clinical trials and could be in general use by 2030. If successful, the discovery has the potential to improve dental care and bring hope to millions of people with missing teeth.
The Japanese research team, led by Dr. Katsu Takahashi of the Osaka Institute of Medical Research Kitano Hospital, has been studying the genetic principles of tooth development. Their findings build on a 2021 study published in Scientific Reports, which found that reducing the USAG-1 gene in mice led to the production of new teeth.
The USAG-1 gene produces a protein that inhibits tooth development. The researchers found that using an antibody that disables this protein allowed mice to regenerate teeth. Encouraged by these findings, the team turned their attention to humans, assuming that a similar genetic system exists in our bodies.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this discovery is that humans already have the potential to grow a third set of teeth. “Growing new teeth is every dentist’s dream,” Dr. Takahashi told the Mainichi Shimbun. “We hope that one day, tooth-growing drugs will become a third option, in addition to dentures and dental implants.”
While most people only grow two sets of teeth – baby and permanent – some people with supernumerary teeth naturally grow extra teeth. This suggests that the body already has the biological framework to grow another set of teeth. Scientists believe that activating these potential tooth buds using gene-targeted therapy could stimulate controlled regeneration of teeth in the general population.
The potential benefits of this breakthrough extend far beyond cosmetic dentistry. About 1% of the global population suffers from edentulism, a genetic disorder that prevents some or all of the permanent teeth from developing. Current treatments, such as dental implants and dentures, are expensive and often come with complications.
A drug that helps the body regenerate teeth could potentially change the lives of people who have lost their teeth due to genetic disease, accidents or aging. “A mutation in just one gene can change the number of teeth,” Dr. Takahashi explained. “If we make this our research goal, there should be a way to change the number of teeth people have.”
The Japanese research team has launched human clinical trials and hopes to make the drug available to the public by 2030. If successful, the treatment will mark one of the most important advances in dental medicine.
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