Unlike the reptiles and to Pisces whose fangs are replaced regularly, the humanslike most others mammalsonly grow two sets of dentsTHE milk teeth and the poorly named “definitives”.
But hidden under our gumsare the buds sleepers of a third generation, according to Katsu Takahashihead of the department of oral surgery at theKitano Hospital Medical Research Institute has Osaka.
In October, Takahashi and his team launched clinical trials on humans of an experimental drug with the potential to restart the growth of these hidden teeth. This “entirely new” technology is designed to neutralize a protein called AG-1which inhibits the growth of the third set of teeth, explains the researcher to AFP.
Current prosthetic treatments used for teeth lost due to cariesof a disease or a injury are often considered expensive and invasive. “Regrowing natural teeth definitely has benefits,” says Takahashi.
In a study published last year, the team declared, with supporting photos, that its “treatment with antibody at the mouse is effective for tooth regeneration and may represent a breakthrough in the treatment of dental abnormalities in humans.
For now, dentists are prioritizing “urgent” cases of patients with six or more teeth missing at birth. This hereditary disease would affect approximately 0.1% of people, who may have severe difficulty chewing and, at Japanoften spend most of their adolescence wearing a face mask to hide the large holes in their mouths, Mr. Takahashi said. “This drug could be a game-changer for them,” he hopes. The drug would therefore be intended primarily for childrenand the researchers wish to make it available from 2030.
You are angryprofessor of dentistry atQueen Mary University of Londonknows of only one other team pursuing a similar goal. “But I would say that the Takahashi group is leading the way,” this immunotechnology expert told AFP.
Takahashi’s work is “exciting and worth continuing,” in part because an antibody drug that targets a protein nearly identical to USAG-1 is already being used to treatosteoporosis. “The race for the regeneration of human teeth is not a sprint, but a series of ultra-marathons. And this is just the beginning,” he says.
According to Chengfei Zhangclinical professor in endodontie in a university of hong kongTakahashi’s method is “innovative and has potential”. “The assertion that humans have latent tooth buds capable of producing a third set of teeth is both revolutionary and controversial,” he told AFP. This bud can be explained by the fact that the residues of the human dental blade sometimes lead to a surplus of teeth according to him.
The results of past experiments on animals raise “questions about the ability of regenerated teeth to functionally and aesthetically replace missing teeth,” he continues. In response, Takahashi argues that if a new tooth grows incorrectly, it can be replaced through orthodontics or transplantation.
For now, participants in these clinical trials are adults, missing only one tooth and the tooth regeneration is not the primary objective of this essay.
According to Takahashi, there is a small chance of this happening to the test subjects, but the researcher “would be over the moon if it happened.”
The drug’s arrival on the market would be particularly welcome in Japan, which has the second oldest population in the world. Health Ministry data shows that more than 90% of Japanese aged 75 or older have at least one missing tooth. “We strongly hope that our technology can directly extend their healthy life expectancy,” hopes Mr. Takahashi.
