A sliver of what makes sharks so intriguing comes with their ability to regrow teeth.
And while a group of Japanese researchers aren’t claiming that we should be trying to be the most shark-like possible, they’d like for us to maybe, someday, share that same ability.
Following up on a 2021 study (published in Scientific Reports) that showed how medicine targeting the protein synthesized by the USAG-1 gene could impact the number of teeth grown in animals, the team has turned its attention to humans.
They’ve announced a 2024 clinical trial of the medicine, which they in turn hope to have ready for general use in 2030.
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“The idea of growing new teeth is every dentist’s dream. I’ve been working on this since I was a graduate student. I was confident I’d be able to make it happen,” Katsu Takahashi, lead researcher and head of the dentistry and oral surgery department at the Medical Research Institute Kitano Hospital in Osaka, told Mainichi.
“We’re hoping to see a time when tooth regrowth medicine is a third choice alongside dentures and implants.”
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