Say goodbye to dental implants. Scientists are now testing an unconventional method to grow entirely new teeth. Losing a tooth today often means expensive implants or prosthetics that never quite match the real thing.
But what if you could regrow natural teeth instead?
Researchers at Tufts University are inching closer to a breakthrough that could replace missing teeth with bioengineered alternatives nearly identical to our own. For years, pigs have fascinated dental scientists because they naturally grow multiple sets of teeth throughout their lives. This makes them ideal subjects for studying how humans might one day regenerate lost teeth.
A Leap Toward Natural Tooth Replacement
In a groundbreaking study, scientists combined living tissue from human and pig teeth and cultivated it in a lab. This hybrid tissue was then implanted into the mouths of young pigs. Within months, the cells self-organized, forming tooth-like structures that mirrored natural teeth in both appearance and developmental patterns.
While the new teeth still lack perfect shape and function, the team is optimistic. “Within a few months, you can grow a bioengineered tooth of decent size—even if it’s not flawless yet,” says lead researcher Pamela Yelick, a professor at Tufts School of Dental Medicine.
Paving the Way for Human Applications
Today, lost teeth are typically replaced with titanium screws topped with porcelain crowns. Though they mimic real teeth cosmetically, they fall short functionally. Ill-fitting implants can damage jawbones, and bacteria buildup often leads to infections or bone loss.
“Some of today’s dental replacement methods are centuries old. It’s time for better solutions,” Yelick told NPR. However, the team stresses that significant hurdles remain before this technology can be used in humans. The next steps? Refining the teeth’s shape and function—and ensuring they can grow reliably in human jaws.
By decoding how pigs regenerate teeth, scientists hope to one day make dental implants obsolete, offering a future where lost teeth regrow naturally in our own mouths.