A drug designed to regrow teeth will begin human trials early next year.
The medication, a game-changer if proven to work, offers hope for millions living with dentures.
Researchers in Japan hope the treatment, which has yet to be named, could be rolled out to patients by 2030 if successful.
Early tests showed that the drug helped mice and ferrets regrow teeth.
The drug is intended for people who do not have fully mature teeth for genetic reasons.
The research, published two years ago, revealed that the USAG-1 gene, when suppressed with antibody treatment, could cause teeth to grow back. Scientists from Kyoto University and Fukui University found that the antibody treatment targets the single gene and stimulates tooth growth (pictured)
Speaking of the human trial, Dr. Takahashi reportedly told Mainichi, ?The idea of ??growing new teeth is every dentist’s dream. I’ve been working on this since I was a master’s student
But the scientists described it as “every dentist’s dream,” suggesting it could be used more widely in the future.
Japanese media reported that clinical trials will begin in July 2024.
The drug, an antibody treatment, works by suppressing USAG-1.
The gene limits the growth of teeth, research shows.
At the time of their original breakthrough in rodents in 2021, scientists at Kyoto University and Fukui University admitted they didn’t know if blocking USAG-1 would be “enough” to work.
But their experiments proved wildly successful.
The process hopes to kick-start a “third generation” of teeth in humans, starting with their baby teeth before developing their permanent set.
Speaking of the human trial, Dr. Takahashi told Mainichi newspaper: ‘The idea of ??growing new teeth is every dentist’s dream.
‘I’ve been working on this since I graduated.
He added: ?I was very confident that I could deliver. We hope to pave the way for clinical use of the drug.’
Anodontia is a genetic condition in which teeth are missing.
Research has suggested that it is more common in women than in men, but it is unclear exactly how many people worldwide are affected by it.
According to the latest government statistics, around 73 per cent of people in the UK have one or more missing back teeth, while 7.6 per cent have one or more missing front teeth.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., more than 25 percent of adults age 65 or older have eight or fewer teeth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Current treatments for tooth loss are limited to dentures and other forms of artificial tooth replacement.
However, they are not permanent and often expensive while being inferior to real teeth.
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