Stem-cell tooth regeneration edges closer to reality

Following April’s lab-grown teeth announcement, multiple research groups have pushed forward with stem-cell approaches to replacing lost teeth. Current clinical trials in Japan and the U.S. are exploring therapies to regenerate tooth structures for patients with congenital tooth agenesis—a condition that affects about 1 in 700 births. While commercial treatments are still years away, researchers envision a future where a patient’s own cells can be harvested to grow a biologically identical replacement tooth in situ. This could dramatically reduce the need for prosthetics, lower long-term costs, and most importantly, restore both function and natural appearance in ways implants never could.