HQ Team
April 30, 2025: Scientists in Britain have invented a material that allows teeth to be grown in a laboratory, a breakthrough which can replace painful dental implants and root canal treatments in the future.
The scientists introduced a special type of material that enables cells to communicate with each other just as in the body, according to a statement from King’s College, London, which collaborated with Imperial College, London, to discover an environment needed to grow teeth in the lab.
The material allows one cell to effectively ‘tell’ another to start differentiating into a tooth cell. The process allows scientists to grow teeth from a patient’s cells in the laboratory.
It was made from hydrogel — a soft, gel-like material that can absorb large amounts of water — and emulates the environment around the cells in the body, known as the matrix.
Formation of a tooth
“We developed this material in collaboration with Imperial College to replicate the environment around the cells in the body, known as the matrix,” said Xuechen Zhang, from the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London.
“This meant that when we introduced the cultured cells, they were able to 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 research is part of a broader effort in regenerative medicine, which aims to harness biology to repair or replace damaged body parts.
Natural replacements
Instead of relying on artificial materials like metal implants or dentures, researchers are working to grow natural replacements using stem cells and bioengineered environments.
The invention brings a step closer to enabling damaged or infected teeth to be replaced by real teeth, rather than being repaired using fillings and other dental procedures.
Unlike implants and fillings, which are fixed and cannot adapt over time, a lab-grown tooth made from a patient’s cells could integrate seamlessly into the jaw and repair itself like a natural tooth.
“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,” said Xuechen.
“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.”
Stronger, long-lasting
Laboratory-grown teeth would be stronger, longer-lasting, and free from rejection risks, offering a more durable and biologically compatible solution than fillings or implants.
Humans grow two sets of teeth in their lifetime. About 20 baby teeth start coming in at around six months and are then gradually replaced by 32 adult teeth starting at six years.
While some animals like sharks and elephants can continuously grow new teeth, humans only have one set from adulthood. The ability to regenerate teeth would be a major leap forward for dentistry, according to the statement.
The UK scientists are first working to figure out the best way for a tooth to be introduced into the body.
‘Let them grow’
“We have different ideas about putting the teeth inside the mouth. We could transplant the young tooth cells to the location of the missing tooth and let them grow inside the mouth,” Xuechen said.
“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.”
Having successfully created the environment needed to grow teeth, scientists are now faced with the challenge of getting them from the laboratory to a human patient.
“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,” said the corresponding author of the paper Dr Ana Angelova Volponi, King’s College London.
