You may be able to grow new teeth in a few years.
While bones have the remarkable ability to regrow after a break, teeth aren’t as fortunate, leading millions of people to experience edentulism, or tooth loss.
But hope may be on the horizon, thanks to a groundbreaking drug developed by Japanese researchers that could regrow human teeth. Human trials for this tooth-regrowing medicine are set to begin in September, marking a major step toward a potential solution for toothlessness.
If the trials are successful, the researchers aim to have the drug widely available by 2030. This would be a monumental shift in dental medicine, offering a permanent cure for tooth loss, something previously unimaginable.
The drug targets the Uterine Sensitization-Associated Gene-1 (USAG-1), which has been shown to inhibit tooth growth in animals like ferrets and mice. By using a monoclonal antibody to disrupt USAG-1’s interaction with bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP), scientists have successfully stimulated tooth growth in these animals. The next challenge is proving its efficacy and safety in humans.
As Katsu Takahashi, head of dentistry at Kitano Hospital in Osaka, explains, “People’s expectations for tooth regrowth are high,” and if this development delivers, it could transform the future of dental care.
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