Regenerative Dentistry
Written by Carolyn Chiu
Edited by Mateo Cepeda
Jan 31, 2021
Edited by Mateo Cepeda
Jan 31, 2021
Pet rodents and pesky rats alike seem to chew through everything. Did you know that this behavior is spurred by the need to routinely file their teeth? Like our nails, rodent teeth grow continuously throughout their lifetime. Although the habit would be impractical for humans, applying this biology to damaged or lost teeth can revolutionize dental treatment.
Teeth may look like simple bones, but they are actually a combination of soft tissue, connective tissue, nerves, blood vessels, and various types of hard tissue. Like all cells in our body, teeth originate from stem cells that differentiate into specialized cells. Early cells of complex organisms begin as identical cells before they are modified to better suit their functions. This modification process is referred to as a differential pathway. Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Austria conducted a genetic study to identify and compare all cell populations in mouse, child, and adult teeth. By studying stem cells from mouse and child teeth next to differentiated adult teeth cells, they were able to understand the differential pathways of odontoblasts and ameloblasts. These two specialized cells deposit a limited amount of dentine and enamel in your lifetime. Dentine and enamel are two critical hard tissues of your teeth.
In addition, the researchers also found new cells and layers in teeth that contribute to tooth sensitivity. The results of this study provide insight into the immune system of teeth. Expanded knowledge on the cellular makeup of teeth will be applied to treatment of tooth sensitivity and oral health. These comprehensive discoveries make the growth of teeth (a process called dentinogenesis) a possibility in the near future for adult dental therapy. The best part is that these researchers have compiled their breakthrough on mouse and human teeth into interactive dental cell type atlases that are accessible to the general public. Not only will dental biologists benefit from their work, but developmental biologists, other researchers studying regenerative biology, and curious scholars are able to reference these findings as well at http://pklab.med.harvard.edu/ruslan/dental.atlas.html.
If you ever chip a tooth, know that dental biologists are working hard to incorporate regenerative therapy into dentistry. You may soon have the option to regrow your own teeth over fillings and implants!
Works Cited
Karolinska Institutet. Breakthrough for tomorrow's dentistry. ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23
September 2020. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200923090414.htm>