DNA Dental Work Rebuilds Tooth Support
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Date posted: 05/02/2005
Posted by: Site Administration
This story is from the category
 Health

Technique could eliminate need for bone grafts and transplants

A gene therapy that spurs the growth of tooth-supporting bone could make dental work far more pleasant.

The technique could eliminate the need to use bone grafts or transplants in replacing a lost tooth.

In people with a large mouth wound, replacing a tooth requires the creation of bone structure to anchor it in place. This is currently done with a bone graft from the chin or jaw that leaves a second wound or with donated bone from a tissue bank.

Researchers at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor are developing a different approach: Introducing a growth factor protein into mouth wounds to spur bone generation around dental implants.

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