No more fillings or implants? Why world’s first lab-grown teeth are a big deal

While many animals can regrow their teeth throughout life, humans typically get just one full adult set, and once it’s damaged or lost, that’s usually the end of the road.

But that might be about to change.

In a major breakthrough, scientists at King’s College London have successfully grown a human tooth in a lab for the first time, according to a BBC report.

The development could open up entirely new options for those who’ve lost teeth, offering a more natural alternative to fillings or dental implants.

Dr Ana Angelova-Volponi, director of regenerative dentistry at King’s College London, believes the discovery could “revolutionise dental care.”

Unlike fillings and implants, which are fixed and unable to adjust to changes over time, a bioengineered tooth made from a person’s own cells could integrate seamlessly into the jaw and repair itself like a natural tooth.

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But how exactly does this process work? And what hurdles must scientists overcome before it becomes an everyday treatment at clinics? Let’s take a closer look.

The science behind lab-grown natural teeth

The team of researchers at King’s College, in collaboration with Imperial College London, managed to develop a material that enables cells to communicate with each other.

This new material essentially allows one cell to signal another to begin turning into a tooth-forming cell. That’s how scientists are now able to mimic the natural environment of tooth development and recreate it outside the body.

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“We developed this material in collaboration with Imperial College to replicate the environment around the cells in the body, known as the matrix,” said Xuechen Zhang, a final-year PhD student at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences.

“This meant that when we introduced the cultured cells, they were able to send signals to each other to start the tooth formation process,” he explained. “Previous attempts had failed, as all the signals were sent in one go. This new material releases signals slowly over time, replicating what happens in the body.”

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A goodbye to fillings and implants?

The possibility of regrowing teeth could change the way dentists treat tooth loss and decay.

“This new technology of regrowing teeth is very exciting and could be a game-changer for dentists,” said Saoirse O’Toole, a clinical lecturer in prosthodontics at King’s College, speaking to the BBC.

Zhang also pointed out the downsides of current solutions. Fillings, for example, aren’t as long-term as people might hope.

“Over time, they will weaken tooth structure, have a limited lifespan, and can lead to further decay or sensitivity,” he said. “Implants require invasive surgery and a good combination of implants and alveolar bone. Both solutions are artificial and don’t fully restore natural tooth function, potentially leading to long-term complications.”

Lab-grown teeth, on the other hand, would be an entirely different story.

“Lab-grown teeth would naturally regenerate, integrating into the jaw as real teeth,” Zhang added. “They would be stronger, longer lasting, and free from rejection risks, offering a more durable and biologically compatible solution than fillings or implants.”

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Challenges ahead

One of the primary challenges is figuring out how to place these lab-grown teeth into a patient’s mouth. There are a few potential approaches.

“We have different ideas to put the teeth inside the mouth,” researchers explained. “We could transplant the young tooth cells at the location of the missing tooth and let them grow inside the mouth. Alternatively, we could create the entire tooth in the lab before placing it in the patient’s mouth.”

For both approaches, it’s essential to start the tooth development process in the lab at a very early stage.

Whatever method is ultimately chosen, scientists expect it could take years before lab-grown teeth become a reality in dental clinics. Despite this, the breakthrough marks a significant step forward in dental care.

With input from agencies