Scientists at King's College London say they've successfully grown a human tooth in a lab for the first time.

As detailed in a paper published in the journal ACS Macro Letters, the team said it uncovered a potential way to regrow teeth in humans as a natural alternative to conventional dental fillings and implants, research they say could "revolutionize dental care."

The researchers claim they've developed a new type of material that enables cells to communicate with one another, essentially allowing one cell to "tell" another to differentiate itself into a new tooth cell.

In other words, it mimics the way teeth grow naturally, an ability we lose as we grow older.

"We developed this material in collaboration with Imperial College to replicate the environment around the cells in the body, known as the matrix," explained author and King’s College London PhD student Xuechen Zhang in a statement. "This meant that when we introduced the cultured cells, they were able to send signals to each other to start the tooth formation process."

"Previous attempts had failed, as all the signals were sent in one go," he added. "This new material releases signals slowly over time, replicating what happens in the body."

However, porting the discovery from the lab, and transforming it into a viable treatment will require years of research.

"We have different ideas to put the teeth inside the mouth," Xuechen said."We could transplant the young tooth cells at the location of the missing tooth and let them grow inside mouth. Alternatively, we could create the whole tooth in the lab before placing it in the patient’s mouth."

While we're still some ways away from applying the findings to human subjects, in theory the approach could have some significant advantages over conventional treatments like fillings and implants.

"Fillings aren’t the best solution for repairing teeth," said Xuechen. "Over time, they will weaken tooth structure, have a limited lifespan, and can lead to further decay or sensitivity."

"Implants require invasive surgery and good combination of implants and alveolar bone," he added. "Both solutions are artificial and don’t fully restore natural tooth function, potentially leading to long-term complications."

The new approach, in contrast, could offer a better long-term solution.

"Lab-grown teeth would naturally regenerate, integrating into the jaw as real teeth," Xuechen explained. "They would be stronger, longer lasting, and free from rejection risks, offering a more durable and biologically compatible solution than fillings or implants."

While nobody knows whether lab-grown teeth will become a viable dental treatment, experts remain optimistic.

"This new technology of regrowing teeth is very exciting and could be a game-changer for dentists," King's College clinical lecturer in prosthodontics Saoirse O'Toole, who was not involved in the study, told the BBC. "Will it come in my lifetime of practice? Possibly. In my children's dental lifetimes? Maybe. But in my children's children's lifetimes, hopefully."

More on lab teeth: Scientists Grow Living "Replacement Teeth" for Dental Implants

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Scientists Successfully Grow Human Tooth in Lab, With Aim of Implanting in Humans