Regenerative Dentistry Discovery: Biological Therapy for Damaged Teeth

Regenerative Dentistry Breakthrough

Researchers at King’s College London have developed a biological therapy that could revolutionize the way damaged teeth are treated. The therapy, which involves the use of a small molecule drug called Tideglusib, has been shown to stimulate the stem cells inside teeth, encouraging them to regenerate damaged tissue.

Tooth decay and trauma can lead to the loss of dental pulp, which is the soft tissue inside teeth that contains nerves and blood vessels. When dental pulp is damaged, it cannot regenerate on its own, and traditional dental treatments involve removing the damaged tissue and filling the tooth with a synthetic material.

The new biological therapy developed by the researchers offers a more natural solution to the problem. By stimulating the stem cells inside teeth with Tideglusib, the therapy encourages the growth of new dental pulp, leading to the regeneration of the damaged tissue.

Promising Results

In pre-clinical studies, the researchers found that the Tideglusib treatment led to a significant increase in the amount of dentin produced by the stem cells inside teeth. Dentin is the hard, mineralized tissue that makes up the bulk of teeth and provides structural support.

The researchers also found that the Tideglusib treatment did not cause any harmful side effects and was well-tolerated by the animals in the study. The next step is to test the therapy in human clinical trials to determine its safety and effectiveness in people.

Future Implications

The development of this biological therapy has significant implications for the field of regenerative dentistry. If successful in human trials, the Tideglusib treatment could offer a more natural and effective way to treat damaged teeth, without the need for synthetic materials or invasive procedures.

In addition to its potential use in treating damaged dental pulp, the therapy could also be used to stimulate the regeneration of other types of tissue in the body. The researchers believe that the Tideglusib treatment could have applications in a wide range of regenerative medicine fields, including neurology and cardiology.

In conclusion, the biological therapy developed by researchers at King’s College London using Tideglusib offers a promising solution for the regeneration of damaged dental pulp. Pre-clinical studies have shown that the therapy stimulates the growth of new dentin and is well-tolerated by animals. If successful in human clinical trials, the Tideglusib treatment could offer a natural and effective alternative to traditional dental treatments. Additionally, the therapy’s potential applications in other fields of regenerative medicine could lead to further breakthroughs in the field.

Originally published on Scitechdaily.com. Read the original article.

Reference: “Dental cell type atlas reveals stem and differentiated cell types in mouse and human teeth” by Jan Krivanek, Ruslan Soldatov, Maria Kastriti, Tatiana Chontorotzea, Anna Herdina, Julian Petersen, Bara Szarowska, Marie Sulcova, Veronika Kovar Matejova, Lydie Izakovicova Holla, Ulrike Kuchler, Ivana Vidovic Zdrilic, Anushree Vijaykumar, Anamaria Balic, Pauline Marangoni, Ophir Klein, Vitor C.M. Neves, Val Yianni, Paul Sharpe, Tibor Harkany, Brian D. Metscher, Marc Bajenoff, Mina Mina, Kaj Fried, Peter Kharchenko and Igor Adameyko, 23 September 2020 Nature Communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18512-7

The study was funded by a European Research Grant, EMBO, the Bertil Hallsten Research Foundation, the Swedish Research Council, the Åke Wiberg Foundation, Masaryk University, a European Research Grant, the National Institute of Health, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and MEYS CR.

Peter V. Kharchenko is a member of Celsius Therapeutics’ research council. No other conflicts of interest have been declared.