Let’s talk about teeth, and the very bright future of tooth replacement. There is no denying that as omnivores, our teeth are responsible for breaking down food into smaller pieces, making it easier for your stomach and intestines to digest nutrients. Meaning, without teeth, you would not be able to chew properly, which can lead to digestive problems.
Teeth also help with speech and allows you to pronounce words and sounds like “th,” “f,” and “s” correctly.
Not even to mention that teeth stimulate your jawbone when you chew, which keeps the bone strong. And losing teeth can lead to bone loss and changes in your facial structure.
The list goes on and on. In short, teeth matter.
However, unlike bones, teeth exhibit very limited natural repair once damaged. Traditional interventions, such as fillings, crowns, or implants, can restore function temporarily, but they cannot fully recreate the biological, structural, or functional properties of natural teeth.
And for thousands of years, these methods have worked to some degree to help keep teeth intact and tooth pain at bay. Evidence actually shows that as early as around 7000–6000 BCE, people in the Indus Valley (modern-day Pakistan and India) used primitive materials like beeswax to fill cavities in teeth. Plus, we probably know more people with fillings, crowns, and implants, than we do without.
In a 2021 UK government oral health survey, around 80% of adults who still have their natural teeth reported having at least one filling. And on average, adults with fillings reported having about 4.3 filled teeth.
Clearly indicating a high demand to maintain one’s natural teeth. But what if we told you, there are new breakthroughs in stem cell research that are opening the door to a revolutionary future? WITHOUT using foreign materials in your mouth.
That is: Regrowing teeth using the body’s own regenerative capabilities. If that got you glued to your seat, then this article is for you!
The Complexity Of Teeth
One thing that most of us probably have in common (aside from those born with “natal teeth”) is that we enter the world toothless. Although teeth begin developing before a baby is born, babies typically start teething around 4–10 months. And around the age of 6, our first permanent teeth tend to appear, with a full set of 32 adult teeth to follow in the coming years.
Many of us, other than dentists, seem to be under the illusion that teeth are merely exposed bones. But they are not. They are made of enamel, dentin, pulp, and cementum. Meaning, your teeth are more than just hard structures. They are complex organs made of different specialised tissues.
This is why our teeth stop growing after they fully emerge. Once a permanent tooth is in place, it does not grow or repair itself like bones do. This often leaves many of us resorting to the aforementioned methods, dentures and even veneers, to maintain our smile and overall oral function.
The Secret Power Of Dental Stem Cells
Stem cells are special because they can make copies of themselves and turn into different types of cells. Naturally, some stem cells are actually found in our teeth. For example, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) live in the soft center of a tooth and can become odontoblasts (the cells that make dentin), as well as other tooth cells.
When it comes to regrowing teeth using stem cells, you might wonder: does this mean we need to pull out healthy teeth? Absolutely not! Stem cells from baby teeth are easy to collect and can also develop into many different types of cells.
The ultimate goal of dental regenerative medicine is to restore or replace teeth in a way that mimics their natural structure and function. Compared to artificial solutions, lab-grown teeth could integrate fully into the jawbone, maintain natural strength and durability, and avoid immune rejection or long-term complications.
At King’s College London, Xuechen Zhang and colleagues have made big progress in figuring out how to grow teeth. They created a special hydrogel material that lets cells talk to each other in ways similar to how teeth naturally develop. Unlike earlier methods that gave all growth signals at once, this new system releases signals slowly, just like in the body. Using this approach, the researchers were able to grow early tooth-like structures in the lab, bringing us closer to making real, functional teeth for implants.
Of course, globally, other research groups are also advancing stem cell-based dental therapies. At the University of Washington, scientists generated dental pulp-like structures from wisdom tooth stem cells and explored organoids mimicking tooth development.
And, at the University of Pennsylvania, trials used mesenchymal stem cell-infused hydrogels (a jelly-like material that contains special stem cells capable of turning into different types of tissues) for jawbone regeneration, facilitating future tooth regrowth or implants.
Are There Drug-Based Approaches?
Yes, it seems there are! In Japan, researchers are creating drugs that block a protein called USAG-1, which helps trigger the growth of new tooth buds. Interestingly enough, humans actually have a hidden ability to grow extra teeth, and early clinical trials (2024–2025) are testing ways to unlock this, with general use possibly by 2030.
In South Korea, scientists at Seoul National University have developed a biodegradable patch or gel containing a special chemical called tideglusib and growth factors. When applied to the gums for about 20 minutes a day, this patch can wake up the stem cells in dental pulp to regenerate dentin, enamel, or even new tooth buds. Animal studies have shown very promising results, and human trials are already underway, with products potentially available as early as 2026.
Challenges And Future Directions
Of course, bringing lab-grown teeth from the bench to the clinic faces several challenges. Successfully implanting lab-grown teeth requires precise attachment to the periodontal ligament (a thin layer of soft tissue that acts like a cushion and anchor, holding your tooth in place while letting it absorb pressure when you chew), and alveolar bone (the part of your jawbone that surrounds and supports your teeth, keeping them firmly set in your mouth).
Mass-producing functional teeth while maintaining biological fidelity also remains complex, and long-term safety studies, human trials, and regulatory approval are necessary before widespread adoption.
Not to mention, current stem cell therapies are expensive, and cost-effective solutions are needed for broader accessibility.
But, be that as it may, the important thing to note here is, regrowing teeth could be much better than getting fillings for several important reasons. One of these is that regrown teeth would be natural and strong.
Bear in mind, fillings are artificial materials used to patch a damaged tooth. Over time, they can wear down, crack, or fall out. Whereas, regrown teeth would be real, living teeth that behave like natural ones, making them stronger and longer-lasting, reducing the need for repeated dental work.
Plus, regeneration fixes the root cause. Fillings only treat the symptom (the cavity), not the damage process itself. Regrowing teeth would restore lost tissue, including dentin and enamel, rather than just covering it.
Even though regrowing teeth is not currently on most dental surgeons’ lists of services, it is a promising prospect for the future and well worth considering.
The Big Picture
The prospect of regrowing teeth using stem cells truly marks a transformative era in dentistry.
With ongoing research in drug-induced tooth growth, stem cell transplants, and tissue engineering, the dream of replacing missing or damaged teeth with biologically perfect replicas is closer than ever.
Stem cells, long hailed for their promise in treating systemic conditions like diabetes and spinal cord injuries, may soon redefine oral health, turning tooth loss and decay from a permanent problem into a temporary setback.