2009-12-26 in reply to zhzhp patient question: I recently saw a report about dental stem cells regenerating teeth, I wonder if this news is true, is it really possible to regenerate real teeth? Is there any research in China? What is the approximate time to be able to clinical? What should I do if I lose my teeth? This is a problem for many people. And recently, whether teeth can be regenerated is a very popular research topic. There are several ways to treat tooth loss. If the missing tooth itself has no support, you need to grind the teeth on both sides for support; if you do not want to grind the teeth on both sides, you can consider dental implants. The so-called dental implants are inserted first when the tooth is lost and there is no root left. After a period of time, when the implant has a good fit with the surrounding alveolar bone, dentures can be made on it. If the tooth loss is serious and there are not many teeth left, a removable denture can be considered. All of these options can be chosen depending on the needs. But is there a better and closer treatment to the human body? In the best case, natural teeth can be grown back on the alveolar bone. With the development of stem cells, the use of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine to develop regenerated teeth has become a new hope for dental treatment. At present, the stem cell regeneration of teeth is still only in the experimental stage, and what is obtained is not a complete tooth, but only a partial structure of a tooth or a tooth-like structure. There is still a long way to go to the clinic, and many problems remain to be solved. Related story: A major breakthrough by scientists could put dentures out of business, according to the Daily Mail, Feb. 26, Beijing. Researchers have pinpointed a gene that controls the production of tooth enamel, making it possible for people to regrow new teeth when they need them. At the same time, it would make painful fillings “useless. Previous experiments on rats have shown that a transcription factor called Ctip2 is linked to the immune system and the development of skin and nerves. This study, conducted at Oregon State University in the United States, showed that the production of tooth enamel is also linked to this gene. The researchers arrived at these results by studying rats. The animals were born with undeveloped teeth that were about to grow out but lacked a proper covering, enamel, the Journal of the National Academy of Sciences said. It’s a not uncommon gene that has many functions,” said researcher Dr. Corisacius. But previously, we didn’t know that it controlled the production of tooth enamel. This is the first transcription factor identified to date that controls the production of enamel and the maturation of enamel-forming cells. Enamel-forming cells are the kind of cells that secrete tooth enamel.” This discovery may help human health. If it is used in conjunction with hepatocyte technology, it could one day allow people to achieve the goal of replacing old teeth with new ones. In addition, it has a variety of uses, such as strengthening existing enamel, repairing damaged enamel, avoiding tooth decay and eliminating the need for fillings. Tooth enamel is the hardest naturally occurring covering,” says Chijus. We still need to do a lot of research to confirm that it helps human health, but it should have a lot of uses. One day we may find a whole new way to improve oral hygiene, and that would be a great thing.” The researchers hope that within 10 years people will have the ability to grow new teeth from stem cells, the so-called master cells that have the potential to regenerate any part of the body. The scientists succeeded in obtaining stem cells from the nerve and tissue within the tooth – the dental pulp – to grow the tooth in the lab and transplant it into the mouths of rats.