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Is this only for missing teeths, or can they also use this for grown ups cavity stuff? Last time i got a cavity drilled out and filled was some like a decade ag

• Blikkentrekker 3y ago
  The article says that the initial plan is children who were born with missing teeth, and then for lost teeth in adults. The way it's explained suggests these “tooth buds” they use disappear in adulthood however, so I'm not sure how that works.
  • XorNot 3y ago
    I imagine there's some work going on (or intended work) looking at how to manufacture them from stem cells.
  • cloudier 3y ago
    Humans have 3 sets of tooth buds. Most people never use the third set. For adults this treatment would aim to regrow the third set.
    • Blikkentrekker 3y ago
      The article implies the third set disappears in adulthood.
      • cloudier 3y ago
        Thanks for pointing this out — I actually assumed the linked article was a different one[1] which implied that the third set could replace dentures: > When treatment of teeth is no longer possible due to severe cavities or erosion of the dental sockets, known as pyorrhea, people lose them and need to rely on dental appliances such as dentures. The ability to grow third-generation teeth could change that. "In any case, we're hoping to see a time when tooth-regrowth medicine is a third choice alongside dentures and implants," Takahashi said. [1]: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230609/p2a/00m/0sc/026000c https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230609/p2a/00m/0sc/02...