Japanese researchers test pioneering drug to regrow teeth

This combination of images received by the Medical Research Institute Kitano Hospital in Osaka shows before (top) and after images of the regrowth of a teeth in a ferret (centre top and bottom) and mice (right and left). - AFP

TOKYO: People with missing teeth may be able to grow new ones, say Japanese dentists testing a pioneering drug they hope will offer an alternative to dentures and implants.

Unlike reptiles and fish, which usually replace their fangs on a regular basis, it is widely accepted that humans and most other mammals only grow two sets of teeth.