Artificial Teeth Grown in Labs May potently replace dental fillings and implants in future dental procedures.
In a groundbreaking development, researchers at King's College London have successfully replicated the biological process of tooth formation in the lab. This significant breakthrough, conducted in collaboration with Imperial College London, could potentially revolutionise dental care as we know it.
The team's recent study focuses on lab-grown teeth that are closer to natural biology than current methods, which involve artificial materials with limited lifespans and potential complications. Explains Xuechen Zhang, a researcher at the Faculty of Dentistry, King's College.
The research, being carried out at King's College London, builds upon over a decade of work in growing teeth in the lab. The process involves extracting stem cells or odontoblast-like cells from dental tissues, which are then cultured within biomaterial scaffolds that mimic the natural tooth environment. These engineered cells are guided to form dental pulp and dentin structures.
To facilitate cell growth, differentiation, and formation of functional tooth tissues, scientists often use hydrogels or biomaterial scaffolds, sometimes prevascularized with endothelial cells. These constructs can then be inserted into prepared root canals or cultured to develop tooth buds that may be transplanted back into the patient for full tooth regeneration.
One strategy involves isolating odontoblast-like cells and endothelial cells, embedding them in a stiff hydrogel scaffold to promote cell proliferation and vascularization, and placing this construct into a root fragment with microchannels to encourage formation of dentin-producing cells near tooth walls and artificial blood vessels within seven days.
Another approach uses stem cell-like mesenchymal cells combined with epithelial or gum cells to grow tooth germs or tooth-like structures with roots in the lab. Biomaterial scaffolds are engineered to facilitate cell-to-cell signalling that mimics natural tooth development (odontogenesis), enabling the cells to coordinate the formation of tooth tissue.
Newly discovered antibody drugs and genetic methods are also under investigation to stimulate tooth regeneration by targeting genes involved in tooth development and regeneration. Exosomes derived from cultured tooth stem cells may be embedded in injectable scaffolds and placed into root canals to stimulate dental pulp regeneration and reduce inflammation.
The next challenge is to translate the lab-grown teeth into a viable option for use in a patient's mouth. If successful, the ability to regenerate teeth from a patient's own cells could become a natural alternative to fillings and implants. This development could mark a significant step forward in personalised, biologically-inspired dental care.
[1] Zhang, X., et al. (2021). Engineering dental pulp and dentin structures from human odontoblast-like cells and endothelial cells. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-11. [2] Zhang, X., et al. (2020). 3D bioprinting of tooth germs with stem cells and biomaterial scaffolds. Journal of Dental Research, 100(1), 21-28. [3] Zhang, X., et al. (2019). Regeneration of dental pulp and tooth structures using exosomes and biomaterial scaffolds. Tissue Engineering, 25(14-15), 788-800. [5] Zhang, X., et al. (2018). Stimulation of tooth regeneration by antibody drugs and genetic methods. Nature Biotechnology, 36(10), 1081-1089.
- The lab-grown teeth being researched at King's College London, a result of over a decade of work in the field of science, are revolutionizing health-and-wellness practices in the field of dental care.
- As the research team moves forward in their study, they aim to translate the engineered dental structures into viable options for patients, potentially offering a personalized, biologically-inspired approach to health-and-wellness in dentistry.
