Overview
- King’s College London researchers have grown a human tooth in a lab for the first time, using a bioengineered material that mimics natural tooth development.
- The breakthrough offers the potential for lab-grown teeth to serve as a biological alternative to fillings and implants by integrating naturally into the jaw and regenerating like real teeth.
- A novel material developed with Imperial College London enables gradual cell signaling, a key factor in replicating natural tooth formation that previous attempts lacked.
- Two clinical delivery approaches are being explored: growing a complete tooth in the lab for implantation or transplanting early-stage tooth cells directly into the jaw.
- The research marks a decade-long effort in regenerative dentistry and is now focused on preclinical testing to optimize the methods for patient use.