Controversial new research about Stem cells in dentistry – consider truly a medical revolution – has said that cell stimulation treatments can “trick” the teeth into repairing themselves, If these “small molecule” drugs work as well as scientists think, we may be on the cusp of a new era in which tooth tissue can be regenerated, And maybe even entire teeth, which is only part of a promising new approach to tooth regeneration.
Despite the abundance of tools to combat tooth decay, from toothpaste with fluoride, to dental seals used to bridge enamel cracks, the vast majority around the world are affected by decay.
Rescued stem cells.
Nowadays, when dentists discover caries in the teeth, they drill the tooth to get rid of the decomposing materials and fill the space with a cement-like material called “corrosive”. However, these fillings may fail or fall, which brings more discomfort to the patient and forces them to visit the dentist again.
They also believe that the drug can be expedited in clinical trials to use it to stop tooth decay, Where the drug “Tideglusib” is currently being used to test its effectiveness against Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Paul Sharp, a professor of stem biology at King’s College London and a pioneer in this research, said: “The dentin resulting from stem cell stimulation Using “Tideglossp”, it integrates itself completely within the tooth, so there is no risk of the implant falling out, which is a major problem that the methods used at present suffer from, Which has not changed during the past 100 years, and there is a need for the biology to influence dentistry and bring it out from the nineteenth century.
So far, Tideglusib has been studied only in mice, but Sharp expects the start of human trials within the next year and hopes that this drug will replace the amalgam that contains mercury.
“Mercury works and lasts for a long time, but having it in your mouth is causing concern,” Sharp said.
Laser’s role in regrowing teeth:
A team led by Dr. Pravin Arani, an assistant professor of oral biology at the university, is testing the use of low-energy laser light to stimulate tooth regeneration. When tooth decay reaches the pulp, dentists perform a root canal treatment, which involves removing the largest portion of the tooth. And then fill in the remaining space with PM, Then the tooth is closed using an artificial cap, but this process may fail due to the pressures on the tooth resulting from chewing.
Arani has found that shining a laser light at the remaining pulp can stimulate stem cells to produce new dentin.
Arani said: “During tooth regeneration by covering the pulp with natural dentine again, the risk of the operation failure is lower.”
He added that the human body has the ability to heal tissues through stem cells, So knowing how to stimulate this process is a significantly different and more effective method of dental practice.
Regrowth entire teeth:
The miracle solution for dentists lies in the ability to grow an entire missing tooth, and Sharp succeeded in this in mice, but applying this to humans raises ethical and legal concerns.
The process includes the creation of a “dental gesture” (which is the tooth in its early stages of formation), and then it is implanted in the jaw in the place of the missing tooth.
In order to create a dental gesture, stem cells must be harvested from human embryos, which is contrary to US laws.
Sharp said: “Embryos have the only cells that we know can make a dental gesture, while adult mouths do not yet produce teeth, As these cells are no longer present.
Although regrowing entire teeth is not practical now, scientists believe they will one day achieve it, “We need to find another method that does not involve using cells from embryos, and this will take a lot of research and more time, and I think it could happen, but it won’t be in the next few years”.
