| It is amazing what science can do these days. | | | | been found to control the growth of teeth. In |
| You have probably seen people with artificial | | | | the next 10 or 20 years, we may be able to |
| limbs, known or heard of someone who has had | | | | apply a gel to the gums or a tooth to |
| breast implants or cosmetic surgery or you | | | | stimulate tooth repair and growth. |
| may have even read about the successful | | | | |
| cloning of Dolly, the British sheep! | | | | Imagine having a special solution painted on |
| | | | your tooth to repair a cavity instead of |
| Scientists are also working to find | | | | having a filling. Imagine the difference |
| breakthroughs that will change the face of | | | | between having no tooth and a newly grown |
| dentistry. Discoveries over the past year | | | | tooth in a matter of weeks, thanks to this |
| could lead to the ability to grow teeth! | | | | innovation! It sounds far-fetched, but |
| | | | growing new teeth is within the realms of |
| Scientists at the University of Texas-Houston | | | | possibility in the next decade. |
| Dental Branch and the Baylor College of | | | | |
| Medicine have discovered why three | | | | Scientists at the University of South |
| generations in one family were born without a | | | | California, Center for Craniofacial Molecular |
| full set of first and second molars. After | | | | Biology, have been analyzing tooth enamel for |
| reviewing their DNA (the blueprints for the | | | | 20 years. "Why?" you may ask. Their goal is |
| body genetic makeup) the problem was narrowed | | | | to be able to offer fillings that most |
| down to one particular gene (PAX9). When a | | | | closely resemble enamel, rather than using |
| mutation of this gene occurs, people are born | | | | silver, gold or resin materials. |
| without a full set of teeth. | | | | |
| | | | Last summer, the researchers identified tiny |
| As many as 20 percent of the population do | | | | spheres, which regulate how enamel forms. For |
| not have a full set of first and second | | | | now, the strength of enamel can not be |
| molars because of this problem. Now that | | | | replicated in a laboratory, but they |
| researchers know what happens when PAX9 | | | | understand how nature makes it. With time, |
| mutates, they have an opportunity to better | | | | synthetic enamel should be another option we |
| understand the genetics of tooth development | | | | can offer! |
| and possibly replicate the process of growing | | | | |
| new teeth. | | | | Researchers say there are many more genes |
| | | | affecting tooth formation that they have not |
| But PAX9 is not the only tooth-related | | | | even discovered yet. Before long, there will |
| genetic discovery that scientistsGel to | | | | be unlimited ways to improve your dental |
| enhance tooth growth have revealed in the | | | | health and make the most of your smile. |
| past few months. A gene called BARX-1 has | | | | |