Lab-Grown Teeth Could Replace Fillings After Groundbreaking Discovery
In a major leap for dental science, researchers at King’s College London have uncovered a breakthrough that could one day allow adults to grow their own replacement teeth — offering a natural alternative to fillings and implants.
For over a decade, scientists at King’s Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences have been investigating ways to regenerate teeth using a patient’s own cells. Now, in collaboration with Imperial College London, they have successfully created a material that mimics the body’s natural tooth-growing environment — allowing cells to communicate and trigger the formation of new tooth tissue.
“This is a potential game-changer,” said Xuechen Zhang, one of the lead researchers. “Current solutions like fillings and implants are artificial and can weaken the tooth or cause complications over time. Our approach offers a way to regrow real, functional teeth from the patient’s own biology.”
Unlike traditional dental treatments, lab-grown teeth would not just replace damaged ones, but also integrate seamlessly into the jaw and continue to function like natural teeth — with the ability to repair themselves, resist rejection, and potentially last a lifetime.
The key to the breakthrough was the development of a special biomaterial that slowly releases signals to cultured cells — replicating the body’s natural process of tooth development. Previous research efforts failed because signals were delivered all at once, disrupting communication between cells. The new material solves that problem, enabling cells to signal each other and begin forming real tooth tissue.
“We can now replicate the early stages of tooth development in the lab,” Zhang explained. “The next step is getting these growing teeth into the human mouth.”
The researchers are exploring two methods: transplanting young tooth cells directly into the jaw to grow in place, or creating entire teeth in the lab to be implanted. Both approaches could reshape dental care by replacing artificial materials with real, living teeth.
Dr. Ana Angelova Volponi, co-author of the research, emphasized the broader vision: “This is part of a larger effort in regenerative medicine. We’re not just looking to repair damage, but to replace it with something biologically authentic. This kind of innovation could fundamentally transform how we treat oral health in the future.”
With further development and clinical trials, lab-grown teeth could one day eliminate the need for fillings, implants, and dentures altogether — paving the way for a more natural and sustainable approach to dental care.