Tooth Regeneration

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Scientists have been working for several years now to develop technology to replace missing teeth with…teeth! If you have been confused by news reports about the human genome and stem cell research, you’re not alone. Scientists are so excited by the possibilities surrounding these areas that they have failed to make it clear to the public just what in the world they are talking about and what useful end results there may be. The topic of human genetics and stem cells is too broad and complicated to address here, but one small area of this amazing research bears mentioning. Tooth regeneration.

Two groups of researchers are working on this problem in a couple of ways. The Forsyth group in Boston is attempting to build teeth by “hanging” various cell types on a biodegradable scaffold or framework. The best results are coming from stem cells found in bone marrow. The tooth-shaped frames are implanted into lab rats. In twenty to thirty weeks, tiny tooth shapes are found within the original forms. Their shapes resemble the shape and anatomy of natural teeth.

In England, Paul Sharpe of Kings College is trying to duplicate the natural formation of teeth by testing various cell types and implanting them into vascular host organs. Tooth structures are evident after about twenty days.

The teeth developed to date have all possessed normal size and shape with associated surrounding tissues, but without roots. There is much that is still not understood about how everything works together to make a tooth. It’s really incredible that they’ve accomplished what they have. It will probably be many years before your dentist plows your gums and plants a fresh crop of "Tooth seeds", but to think that someday it might be possible is simply amazing!

References:

Cuevas, S
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Modino SA, Sharpe PT.
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C.S. Young, S. Terada, J.P. Vacanti, M. Honda, J.D. Bartlett, and P.C. Yelick
Tissue Engineering of Complex Tooth Structures on Biodegradable Polymer Scaffolds
J Dent Res. 2002 Oct;81(10):695-700.

M.T. Duailibi, S.E. Duailibi, C.S. Young, J.D. Bartlett, J.P. Vacanti, and P.C. Yelick
Bioengineered Teeth from Cultured Rat Tooth Bud Cells
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Sharpe PT, Young, CS
Test-tube teeth.
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