For generations, tooth loss has meant a lifetime of fillings, implants or dentures. But now, scientists in Japan and the United Kingdom are on the cusp of a medical breakthrough: regrowing human teeth. Researchers in both countries have made major advances that could render traditional dental prosthetics obsolete. The prospect of natural, biological tooth replacement may no longer belong to science fiction.
Japan’s Injectable Solution
In Japan, a team at Kyoto University and Kitano Hospital has developed a drug that stimulates the body to grow new teeth. The treatment works by inhibiting a gene known as USAG-1, which normally prevents additional teeth from forming.
Preclinical studies in mice, ferrets and dogs have shown that blocking this gene allows new teeth to grow—complete with enamel, dentine and functional roots. In 2024, the team began human clinical trials on adults missing at least one tooth.
“We’re aiming for a treatment that could benefit people who suffer from tooth loss due to injury, disease, or congenital conditions,” said Dr. Katsu Takahashi, lead researcher. If trials continue to show positive results, the therapy could become available by 2030.
King’s College Grows ‘Bioteeth’
Meanwhile in London, scientists at King’s College are exploring a different path. Led by Professor Paul Sharpe, researchers have developed a method to grow tooth structures in the lab using stem cell-based tissue engineering.
By combining adult gum cells with tooth-inducing cells in the lab, they have successfully grown tooth-like structures in mice. The long-term aim is to produce entire, functional human teeth that can be implanted into a patient’s jaw.
Though this approach is still in the preclinical stage, it offers a highly personalised solution—particularly for patients with complex dental damage or those unable to benefit from conventional implants.
A Shift in Dental Medicine
Both teams are working to address the challenges of scaling their treatments for widespread use. The Japanese team plans to extend their trials to children with congenital tooth agenesis, a condition in which some adult teeth never develop. Meanwhile, the UK team is refining the process to ensure the safe use of human stem cells in regenerative dentistry.
Experts say the implications are vast. “We’re looking at the real possibility of regrowing a tooth from your own cells—no artificial materials, no prosthetics, just biology doing its job,” said Sharpe.
While questions remain about cost, accessibility and regulatory approval, the message from the labs is clear: natural tooth regrowth is no longer just a dream.
