“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,” she stated.
Similarly Xuechen Zhang, another author of the study, said, “This environment is more ‘tuneable’ and can be better adjusted to promote the process of tooth-making. With this, we might be one step closer to growing human teeth in a lab in near future.”
“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,” said Zhang.
Researchers claim that the substance enables cell-to-cell communication that is similar to the signaling pathways involved in the creation of a real tooth. Earlier attempts failed because they released the required signals all at once, rather than gradually.
Translating the discoveries into a clinical setting is the challenge now that the proper atmosphere has been reproduced.
“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,” Zhang said. “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.”
What People Are Saying
Xuechen Zhang, from the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences at King’s College London, said in a news release, “Fillings aren’t the best solution for repairing teeth. Over time, they will weaken tooth structure, have a limited life span, and can lead to further decay or sensitivity. Implants require invasive surgery and good combination of implants and alveolar bone. Both solutions are artificial and don’t fully restore natural tooth function, potentially leading to long-term complications.”
