Sharks and many other animals do not need dentists, because they simply replace old teeth with new ones. The high specialization of human teeth (each one has its own unique purpose) is one of the reasons why we can’t do this and instead have to spend huge amounts of money on dentists. But the Japanese can revolutionize dentistry: they have developed a pill to grow teeth. Tests are scheduled for 2024, and commercial availability is expected in the 2030s.
Kyoto University-funded Toregem Biopharma Co. is expected to begin clinical trials in healthy adults around July 2024 to confirm the drug’s safety after the team managed to grow new teeth in mice in 2018.
Most people have “tooth rudiments” that can become a new tooth, in addition to baby and permanent teeth, although the rudiments usually do not develop and eventually disappear.
The team created a drug that unblocks the growth of these tooth embryos. In 2018, the team also administered the drug to ferrets, which have both primary and permanent teeth similar to humans, and they grew new teeth.
The team plans to conduct clinical trials of the drug in 2025 for children aged 2 to 6 years with anodontia (people without some or all permanent teeth). Children will be given one dose to stimulate tooth growth.
There are also hopes to use the drug in the future for adults who have lost teeth due to caries.
