In a first, scientists, have used light to coax stem cells to regrow parts of teeth.
The study, led by David Mooney, a Core Faculty member at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard, is the first to demonstrate the ability to use low-power light to trigger stem cells inside the body to regenerate tissue.
The researchers used a low-power laser to trigger human dental stem cells to form dentin, the hard tissue that is similar to bone and makes up the bulk of teeth.
They outlined the precise molecular mechanism involved, and demonstrated its prowess using multiple laboratory and animal models.
“Our treatment modality does not introduce anything new to the body, and lasers are routinely used in medicine and dentistry, so the barriers to clinical translation are low,” said Mooney, who is also the Robert P Pinkas Family Professor of Bioengineering at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS).
“It would be a substantial advance in the field if we can regenerate teeth rather than replace them,” Mooney said.
