In their latest study, researchers made a breakthrough in replicating the environment required to grow teeth in the lab.
What if a missing tooth could be regrown, not by nature, but in a lab using your own cells? Scientists at King’s College London have found a way to grow living teeth in the lab, bringing this possibility closer to reality.
In their latest study, the team at King’s College London, working with Imperial College London, made a breakthrough in replicating the environment required to grow teeth in the lab.They introduced a specialized material that allows cells to communicate with one another, enabling one cell to signal another to begin transforming into a tooth cell.By mimicking the natural conditions of early tooth development, this innovation brings scientists closer to recreating the process of tooth formation outside the body.Growing teeth in the labThese bioengineered teeth could one day replace fillings and implants, offering a more natural and durable alternative to today’s dental fixes.Fillings are not an ideal solution for repairing teeth, as they weaken tooth structure over time, have a limited lifespan, and can lead to further decay or sensitivity. Implants require invasive surgery and a proper combination with the alveolar bone.Both fillings and implants are artificial and do not fully restore the natural function of teeth, potentially leading to long-term complications.“We developed this material in collaboration with Imperial College to replicate the environment around the cells in the body, known as the matrix. This meant that when we introduced the cultured cells, they were able to send signals to each other to start the tooth formation process,” Xuechen Zhang from King’s College London’s Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, said in a release.“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.”Overcoming tooth placement challengeHaving successfully recreated the conditions for tooth growth in the lab, scientists now face the challenge of transferring these lab-grown teeth into patients’ mouths. Xuechen said the team is exploring multiple approaches to tackle this challenge.“We have different ideas to put the teeth inside the mouth. 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 whole tooth in the lab before placing it in the patient’s mouth. For both options, we need to start the very early tooth development process in the lab.”This research is part of the broader field of regenerative medicine, which seeks to harness the body’s own biology to repair or replace damaged tissues. Rather than depending on artificial solutions like metal implants or dentures, scientists are developing natural replacements using stem cells and bioengineered environments.“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,” the corresponding author of the paper, Dr. Ana Angelova Volponi, said.“The work being conducted at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences at King’s College London exemplifies the cutting-edge research driving this transformation, highlighting our Faculty’s commitment to advancing oral health through scientific discovery.”The research has been published in ACS Macro Letters.
Dental Fixes Dental Implants Imperial College London King's College London Lab-Grown Teeth Regenerative Medicine Stem Cells Tooth Development Tooth Regeneration
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Lab-grown teeth could be the future of dentistryAndrew Paul is Popular Science's staff writer primarily focused on tech news. Previously, he was a regular contributor to The A.V. Club and Input, and has had recent work featured by Rolling Stone, Fangoria, GQ, Slate, NBC, as well as McSweeney's Internet Tendency. He lives outside Indianapolis.
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