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Grow-your-own to replace false teeth
The Guardian ^
| May 3, 2004
| Ian Sample
Posted on 05/02/2004 6:50:03 PM PDT by ijcr
The British institution of dentures sitting in a glass of water beside the bed could be rendered obsolete by scientists who are confident that people will soon be able to replace lost teeth by growing new ones. Instead of false teeth, a small ball of cells capable of growing into a new tooth will be implanted where the missing one used to be.
The procedure needs only a local anaesthetic and the new tooth should be fully formed within a few months of the cells being implanted.
Paul Sharpe, a specialist in the field of regenerative dentistry at the Dental Institute of King's College, London, says the new procedure has distinct advantages over false teeth that require a metal post to be driven into the jaw before being capped with a porcelain or plastic tooth.
"The surgery today can be extensive and you need to have good solid bone in the jaw and that is a major problem for some people," Professor Sharpe said.
The method could be used on far more patients because the ball of cells that grows into a tooth also produces bone that anchors to the jaw.
The choice of growing a new tooth is likely to appeal to patients. "Anyone who has lost teeth will tell you that, given the chance, they would rather have their own teeth than false ones," said Prof Sharpe. The average Briton over 50 has lost 12 teeth from a set of 32.
The procedure is fairly simple. Doctors take stem cells from the patient. These are unique in their ability to form any of the tissues that make up the body. By carefully nurturing the stem cells in a laboratory, scientists can nudge the cells down a path that will make them grow into a tooth. After a couple of weeks, the ball of cells, known as a bud, is ready to be implanted. Tests reveal what type of tooth - for example, a molar or an incisor - the bud will form.
Using a local anaesthetic, the tooth bud is inserted through a small incision into the gum. Within months, the cells will have matured into a fully-formed tooth, fused to the jawbone. As the tooth grows, it releases chemicals that encourage nerves and blood vessels to link up with it.
Tests have shown the technique to work in mice, where new teeth took weeks to grow. "There's no reason why it shouldn't work in humans, the principles are the same," said Prof Sharpe.
His team has set up a company, Odontis, to exploit the technique, and has won £400,000 from the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts and the Wellcome Trust.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: aging; dentures; elderly; healthcare; stemcells; teeth
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To: ijcr
And you get it to stop growing, how?
To: null and void
I saw that freak on TV the other night. Instead of looking like a tiger, I think he just looks like, well, a freak.
62
posted on
05/02/2004 8:47:48 PM PDT
by
EuroFrog
(Tagline removed for weekly washing.)
To: azhenfud
That should be West Virginia, not England.
63
posted on
05/02/2004 8:48:50 PM PDT
by
EuroFrog
(Tagline removed for weekly washing.)
To: dufekin
Nope. Actually, the "toothbrush" was invented in China c.1497 I didn't know that. Another Chinese invention. The Chinese were technologically ahead of everyone until 1500 or so and Europe began to surpass them. Around this same time, they had huge sailing ships -- actually container ships -- the hull was divided into watertight sections, something not tried again until the 19th century.
64
posted on
05/02/2004 8:49:11 PM PDT
by
Wilhelm Tell
(Lurking since 1997!)
To: Wilhelm Tell
The Chinese bureaucracy killed the exploration. Too many new ideas were coming into China with the trade goods.
That they were able to utterly destroy all records of a trade network that stretched all the way to the Cape of Good Hope remains to this day one of bureaucracies greatest achievements.
It's why I in California, and you in Switzerland are not communicating in ideograms...
65
posted on
05/02/2004 8:58:36 PM PDT
by
null and void
(Sarcasm, just another service I provide.)
To: Rightwing Conspiratr1
Yeah, but it's kindof tough to take that medicine from the time you go to sleep until you arrive home after work. The rest is pure gravy. heh heh heh...
To: luvbach1
A neighbor of mine caught a small bass fish and put it
in a little aquarium on his little girl's dresser and they
feed it crawdads and minnows they catch in the creek. Does
this qualify?
67
posted on
05/02/2004 9:03:18 PM PDT
by
Twinkie
To: ImaTexan
Ping
68
posted on
05/02/2004 9:13:53 PM PDT
by
bjcintennessee
(Don't Sweat the Small Stuff)
To: RightWhale
Absolutely - it's an evolutionary issue. Used to be, most people didn't live long enough to worry about losing their adult teeth to decay. Now that some are living to 100 or so, a third set 'round about our 30's or 40's would really come in handy! I could use a few.
69
posted on
05/02/2004 10:09:41 PM PDT
by
edayna
To: HairOfTheDog
When was the last time you were around someone over 70? The article said "The average Briton over 50 has lost 12 teeth." I'm not quite 50, but I'm getting close and I still have all of my teeth (even my wisdom teeth).
70
posted on
05/02/2004 10:35:59 PM PDT
by
kennedy
To: ijcr
reference!
71
posted on
05/03/2004 3:46:40 AM PDT
by
lainde
(Heads up...We're coming and we've got tongue blades!!)
To: thoughtomator
The average Briton over 50 has lost 12 teeth from a set of 32.
Holy cow! That's a lot of missing teeth... The joys of government-supplied [dental] health care
72
posted on
05/03/2004 3:54:47 AM PDT
by
SauronOfMordor
(That which does not kill me had better be able to run away damn fast.)
To: ijcr
"The average Briton over 50 has lost 12 teeth from a set of 32."
If they would brush their teeth and see a 'free' dentist more often, I doubt this would happen.
My Grandmother is 80 and has all her own teeth.
73
posted on
05/03/2004 6:40:20 AM PDT
by
Chewbacca
(I think I will stay single. Getting married is just so 'gay'.)
To: onyx
Yes, but that is the reason God invented Alcohol. To make being in pain. That much more bearable.
74
posted on
10/25/2004 8:31:42 PM PDT
by
legs28
To: piasa
"Think of how much easier it would be to scoop up peas." .
75
posted on
10/25/2004 9:11:26 PM PDT
by
sweetliberty
(Proud member of the Pajama Posse!)
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