Tufts Team Grows Human-Like Tooth Structures in Pig Jaws in 3 Months

2 articles · Updated · 매일경제 · Jul 20

Mini pig jaws developed human-like tooth structures in about three months after Tufts researchers combined human tooth cells with pig tooth-forming cells.
The team used enamel-forming cells from undeveloped tooth buds left in slaughtered pigs' jaws to recreate a setting in which teeth could grow naturally.
The work targets the limits of current care: fillings often last 5 to 20 years and implants lack nerves, can get infected and may need replacement.
Other groups are pursuing dentine-regrowth therapies, “living fillings” and lab-grown teeth from patients' own cells, aiming for longer-lasting biological alternatives.
Human trials remain years away because researchers still need primate safety and efficacy data and better methods to support normal tooth growth inside the mouth.

Sources

매일경제1d ago

Tufts University Team Grows Human-Like Tooth Structures in Pig Jaws

The Star Kenya 1d ago

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Bioengineered Teeth: Tufts’ 2024 Milestone and the Race to Replace Dental Implants by 2030

Overview

Researchers at Tufts University, led by Dr. Pamela Yelick, have made a major breakthrough in bioengineered tooth regeneration by developing replacement teeth using a hybrid of human and pig cells within a scaffold from a pig tooth. These bioengineered tooth structures were implanted into the jaws of miniature pigs, and after two weeks, fully developed teeth with hard layers of dentin and cementum formed. This achievement shows the remarkable potential for creating biologically integrated tooth replacements that are more natural, durable, and compatible than traditional dental implants, offering a promising new direction for dental care.

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