Researchers have achieved a significant breakthrough in dental science by developing lab-grown teeth that could serve as an alternative to traditional fillings
King’s College London scientists have explored lab-grown teeth for over ten years to offer a natural alternative to fillings and implants, which are fixed and cannot adapt over time. Lab-grown teeth made from a patient’s cells could integrate seamlessly into the jaw and repair themselves like a natural tooth.
Xuechen Zhang, from the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, said: “Fillings aren’t the best solution for repairing teeth. Over time, they will weaken tooth structure, have a limited lifespan, and can lead to further decay or sensitivity. Implants require invasive surgery and a 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.”
Creating an environment needed for lab-grown teeth
The King’s team, in collaboration with Imperial College London, have made a key discovery on the environment needed to grow teeth in the lab. They have now successfully introduced a special type of material that enables cells to communicate with each other, meaning that one cell can effectively ‘tell’ another to start differentiating into a tooth cell. This mimics the environment of growing teeth and allows scientists to recreate the process of tooth development in the lab.
Xuechen said: “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 could send signals to each other to start the tooth formation process.
“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.”
The team is now faced with getting the lab-grown teeth into patients’ mouths.
Xuechen added: “We have different ideas for putting 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.”
Shaping the future of dentistry
The research provides the potential of introducing regenerative medicine to dentistry by using stem cells and bioengineered environments to create teeth, instead of artificial materials such as metal implants.
Corresponding author of the paper Dr Ana Angelova Volponi, King’s College London, said: “As the field progresses, the integration of such innovative techniques holds the potential to revolutionise dental care, offering sustainable and effective solutions for tooth repair and regeneration.
“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.”
“Lab-grown teeth would naturally regenerate, integrating into the jaw as real teeth. They would be stronger, longer lasting, and free from rejection risks, offering a more durable and biologically compatible solution than fillings or implants,“ added Xuechen Zhang, from the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London.
