Growing back your lost teeth without surgery: it will soon be possible!

This protein exerts control over dental development, acting as an inhibitory agent that keeps embryonic tooth buds silent. It thus prevents the activation of genes necessary for the formation of dentin and enamel. To counteract this inhibition, the researchers chose to harness the power of messenger RNA, a molecule that carries genetic information from DNA to ribosomes, where it serves as a template for protein synthesis.The proposed gene therapy is based on the targeted delivery of anti-USAG-1 antibodies via specifically designed RNA sequences. This approach allows us to remove the molecular lock that limits our natural capacity for dental regeneration, thus restoring a developmental potential long considered lost. Preclinical trials have demonstrated remarkable results, with complete dental regeneration observed in several animal models.

Clinical trials currently underway suggest a possible commercialization of this molecule as early as 2030, if they go smoothly.

Teeth of the future: grown in the laboratory

Osaka University isn't alone in developing noninvasive solutions to regrow teeth. Researchers at the University of Washington School of Dentistry are doing it too, but in a different way. Instead of re-growing teeth naturally, they're re-creating them right in the lab.

The researchers' tour de force: creating dental organoids, miniature living teeth. To understand this innovation, think of a seed that contains all the potential to become a tree. Similarly, these organoids contain all the elements needed to make the components of a tooth.

In these biological microsystems, each cell plays a specific role: some cells make enamel, others build dentin (the layer beneath the enamel), while still others create supporting tissues. This organization faithfully reproduces the natural architecture of our dental organs and we could then use these organoids to fill a hole in our teeth.

A gel to reconstruct teeth

In parallel, researchers at Zhejiang University are working on another solution: they have developed a special gel, composed of calcium phosphate – the same mineral that makes up our natural teeth. This gel, when applied to a tooth, rebuilds a layer of enamel three µm (micrometers) thick (for reference, a human hair is about 75 µm thick).

Dr Zhaoming Liu, co-author of the study published in the journal Science Advances, explains: “The enamel we regenerated is identical to natural enamel in both structure and strength. We hope to develop a treatment that will regrow enamel without the need for fillings, which are made of completely different materials. If all goes according to plan, we could start clinical trials within a year or two ».

In light of these three advances, it is possible that one day everyone will be able to properly care for their teeth, regardless of their income level. However, this is not happening tomorrow, and the solutions outlined in this article are still in the experimental stage. Even if production costs fall over time, it is likely that in the early years, these treatments will remain expensive and that their distribution will not be uniform across the world. As was the case for the first antibiotics, vaccines or prostheses, which are now more widely available. The democratization of these treatments will have to overcome many obstacles, both from a regulatory and economic point of view. 60~/strong> 60~/strong>