Teeth do not grow naturally after reaching puberty, and this is something we have been accustomed to since childhood, as the teeth must be preserved from decay or damage in the best possible way, but this concept may change soon, as a team of scientists is working from the Medical Research Institute at Kitano Hospital. In Japan, there are a group of clinical trials for a drug that may bring about a real revolution in the world of dental treatment, as it may allow teeth to grow again after they are damaged or broken.
The medical research team at Kitano Hospital discovered an antibody capable of stopping the gene expression of the gene “USAG-1”, as this gene is directly linked to restricting the growth of permanent teeth again. The antibody was tested on mice and rodents without causing any side effects, and the scientists’ next step is It will be important to know whether the same chemical reactions can be controlled in humans. “The treatment is effective in mice and could be a breakthrough in the treatment of dental abnormalities in humans,” the researchers said.
This study targets people with underdeveloped teeth (Anodontia), which is a rare genetic condition that prevents children’s teeth and adult teeth from growing normally. Clinical trials on humans will begin by July of next year 2024, and if these trials are successful, the drug will be commercially available by 2024. By 2030, the treatment will initially target young children with underdeveloped teeth, and then researchers believe it could be used more widely in adults with more complex dental problems.
In conclusion, Dr. Katsuo Takahashi, head of the Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery at Kitano Hospital, told the Mainichi Shimbun: “The idea of implanting new teeth is the dream of every dentist. I have been working on this since I was a graduate student, and I was confident that I would “I will be able to achieve this.”
Sources:
1- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352320423000044
2- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93256-y
Translated and prepared by: M.M. Sultan Karim Sultan
Media and Government Communications Division
