Japanese scientists are creating medicine to restore teeth, with clinical trials set to begin in July 2024. Scientists in Japan are attempting to realize every dentist’s goal of revolutionizing the dental care industry: possible tooth re-growth therapy.
Thanks to decades of research in the sector, clinical trials for a potential therapy are planned to begin in July 2024. If those trials are successful, we could see therapeutic medications on the market as early as 2030.
Japanese researchers are focusing on anodontia patients
The trials will be carried out by a team from Japan’s Medical Research Institute at Kitano Hospital. Initially, they intend to target children with anodontia, a rare genetic disorder that stops baby teeth from growing.
The researchers will then target adult individuals who have comparable problems, followed by those who have regular dental issues, such as gum disease and abnormally growing teeth.
“The idea of growing new teeth is every dentist’s dream,” Katsu Takahashi, head of the dentistry and oral surgery department at Kitano Hospital, told The Mainichi. “I’ve been working on this since I was a graduate student. I was confident I’d be able to make it happen.”
The treatment’s scientific basis
Initially, scientists were able to link a single gene called USAG-1 to limits in tooth growth in mice.
Following that, the researchers moved on to tests targeted at inhibiting USAG-1 expression.
They developed an antibody that may safely inhibit a portion of USAG-1 function in mice, resulting in tooth growth with minimal side effects.
The next step is to see if these same chemical responses can produce beneficial results in humans.
Experts believe that this new medicine has the potential to encourage the growth of a third set of teeth in humans, in addition to baby teeth and mature adult teeth.
It is entirely natural
What distinguishes this strategy, as underlined by the researchers in a recent scientific study, is that tooth growth is naturally stimulated via a mechanism known as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling.
Our bodies are carrying out this process on their own, removing the need for precise stem cell management.
Furthermore, the team predicts that advances in scanning technology, like mass spectrometry, will make it easier to identify biomarkers that indicate who will benefit the most from the treatment.
“Anti-USAG-1 antibody treatment in mice is effective for tooth regeneration and can be a breakthrough in treating tooth anomalies in humans,” wrote the researchers in their assessment.