According to a new study, scientists have successfully grown human teeth in a lab for the first time, a breakthrough that could lead to patients regrowing lost teeth in the future. Imagine not having to worry about fillings, dental implants, or false teeth. A team of researchers at King’s College London developed a material that mimics the environment needed for tooth development, allowing cells to send signals and begin forming a new tooth. Unlike implants and fillings, which are fixed and cannot adapt over time, the study outlines how a lab-grown tooth made from a patient’s own cells could integrate into the jaw and repair itself like a natural tooth. Researchers are now exploring two possible approaches: growing a whole tooth in the lab before implanting it, or placing early-stage tooth cells directly into the patient’s jaw where they could continue developing. “As the field progresses, the integration of such innovative techniques holds the potential to revolutionize dental care, offering sustainable and effective solutions for tooth repair and regeneration,” said Dr. Ana Angelova-Volponi, Director of Regenerative Dentistry at King’s College.
Human Teeth Have Been Grown In a Lab For the First Time
According to a new study, scientists have successfully grown human teeth in a lab for the first time, a breakthrough that could lead to patients regrowing lost teeth in the future. Imagine not having to worry about fillings, dental implants, or false teeth. A team of researchers at King’s College London developed a material that mimics the environment needed for tooth development, allowing cells to send signals and begin forming a new tooth. Unlike implants and fillings, which are fixed and cannot adapt over time, the study outlines how a lab-grown tooth made from a patient’s own cells could integrate into the jaw and repair itself like a natural tooth. Researchers are now exploring two possible approaches: growing a whole tooth in the lab before implanting it, or placing early-stage tooth cells directly into the patient’s jaw where they could continue developing. “As the field progresses, the integration of such innovative techniques holds the potential to revolutionize dental care, offering sustainable and effective solutions for tooth repair and regeneration,” said Dr. Ana Angelova-Volponi, Director of Regenerative Dentistry at King’s College.