Scientists are exploring ways to regenerate lost teeth rather than replace them with implants, bridges or dentures. In Japan, researchers have begun clinical testing of an experimental tooth-regeneration treatment targeting people with congenital tooth loss. The approach is designed to stimulate the body’s ability to form teeth. Although the research represents an important step, its safety and effectiveness still need to be established through clinical development before it can become a standard treatment.
Could humans regrow lost teeth?
Tooth loss is currently treated mainly with dental implants, bridges or dentures. Researchers are investigating whether tooth regeneration could eventually provide another option by encouraging the body to produce new teeth.
One of the most advanced efforts is being developed in Japan by researchers working with Toregem BioPharma, Kyoto University Hospital and other institutions. The experimental treatment targets a protein known as USAG-1, which is involved in tooth development.
The goal is to remove a biological barrier to tooth formation and stimulate the development of new teeth.
Clinical research has already begun
Japan’s clinical research system and the research team have documented an investigator-initiated clinical trial involving a tooth-regeneration treatment for people with congenital tooth loss. The trial at Kyoto University Hospital was scheduled to begin in October 2024 following regulatory approval of the research plan.
Toregem BioPharma says its experimental candidate, TRG035, is a humanized antibody targeting USAG-1 and that the company is pursuing clinical development of the treatment.
The initial clinical work is particularly focused on people who are born with missing teeth. Researchers hope that, if the treatment proves safe and effective, its potential use could eventually be expanded to people who have lost teeth for other reasons.
Why is tooth regeneration difficult?
Human teeth have a limited natural ability to regenerate. Once a permanent tooth is lost, the body does not normally replace it with another fully developed tooth.
Researchers therefore need to understand the complex biological signals involved in tooth development, including the interactions between proteins, cells and tissues.
A successful treatment would need to stimulate the formation of a functional tooth while ensuring that its shape, position and development are properly controlled.
Treatment is not yet available
Despite the progress, tooth regeneration remains experimental. Clinical trials must establish whether an approach is safe, effective and reliable before it can be approved for widespread use.
The existence of an ongoing clinical trial does not mean that patients can currently regrow missing teeth through an approved treatment. Researchers also need to determine whether the approach can work consistently in people who have lost teeth because of decay, gum disease, trauma or aging.
Why It Matters
Tooth regeneration could fundamentally change how tooth loss is treated if researchers can demonstrate that lost teeth can be safely and predictably regrown. Unlike conventional replacement methods, regeneration aims to restore the patient’s own biological tooth. However, the technology is still in clinical development, and it is too early to know when—or whether—it will become a widely available treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can humans currently regrow lost teeth?
Not as a routinely available medical treatment. Experimental tooth-regeneration therapies are being investigated, including clinical research in Japan.
What is the Japanese tooth-regeneration treatment targeting?
One experimental approach targets USAG-1, a protein involved in tooth development. Researchers are investigating whether blocking this protein can help stimulate tooth formation.
Could the treatment work for everyone who has lost a tooth?
That remains unknown. Current clinical development has focused initially on people with congenital tooth loss, and researchers need further evidence before determining whether the approach can reliably regenerate teeth lost because of decay, gum disease or injury.
Should people wait for tooth-regeneration treatments instead of replacing missing teeth?
No. Tooth-regeneration therapies remain experimental. People with missing teeth should discuss established treatment options, including implants, bridges and dentures, with a qualified dental professional.
Sources: Toregem BioPharma, Kyoto University Hospital, Japan Registry of Clinical Trials, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
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