Chapter 652: Tooth Regeneration Formula

Chapter 652: Chapter 652: Tooth Regeneration Formula

Traditional dental treatment is, in fact, a compromise.

From fillings, root canals, and porcelain crowns to dental implants...

Every step is about repairing, not rebuilding.

While dental implants may seem high-end, they are essentially still "false teeth."

They lack the nerve perception of natural teeth and the subtle feedback from the periodontal ligament.

So what does "tooth regeneration" really mean?

It means—

No longer needing foreign metal or ceramic materials; the body grows real teeth on its own.

Avoiding the risks of surgical implantation and rejection.

Restoring the chewing power, sensory ability, and remineralization capacity of natural teeth, which has revolutionary implications for long-term health.

A more exaggerated but realistic prospect is that cavities may no longer be a lifelong disease, but rather a "reversible process."

Speaking of which,

Why can’t teeth self-repair like the liver?

Many people have wondered about this, but the answer is actually heartbreaking.

From the moment a tooth finishes developing, it’s "capped off."

Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body, but it has no blood vessels, no cells, and cannot regenerate.

You can think of it as a "dormant volcano"—majestic, but no longer active.

Its hardness is a trade-off, not an advantage.

The human liver, skin, and bones all have powerful regenerative abilities because they are "living tissues."

Teeth are not.

They’re like a house that’s been locked up after construction; no matter how hard it rains outside, no one comes out to fix the roof.

That’s why Japan’s tooth regeneration research isn’t about patching up enamel, but about getting the "construction workers" to start building a new house. That’s what makes it so revolutionary.

Lin Xiaoyu grew more and more excited as she read.

’This might actually be possible.’

The news said,

This research had completed animal trials and was about to begin human clinical trials.

Scientists predicted it could be clinically applied as early as 2030.

Moreover, related research on activating tooth germs was not an isolated case.

Institutions like Harvard University, King’s College London, and Capital City University’s dental hospital were all conducting research in similar directions.

Global investment in tooth regeneration was heating up. This wasn’t an isolated incident, but the prelude to a storm.

’Is the era of fillings coming to an end?’

Lin Xiaoyu soon discovered that things weren’t so optimistic.

Tooth regeneration wouldn’t be "unlimited."

Research showed that the hidden third set of human tooth germs could only be activated once.

If one continued to overeat and neglect oral hygiene after the new tooth grew in, that one chance would still be wasted.

Another often-overlooked point: the tooth regeneration technology only works for people who have functional tooth germs.

Some people are born without these tooth germs and wouldn’t be able to use the technology even when it matures.

An obscure but undeniable issue: your teeth might be more "degenerated" than you think.

This isn’t meant in a derogatory sense, but a literal one.

’Oh no, I wonder what my teeth are like? I hope they haven’t degenerated.’

Lin Xiaoyu decided she would go for a check-up in a while to see if she had tooth germs.

...

「Japan, Kyoto University Dental Laboratory.」

Yoshida, dressed in a white lab coat, was touring the laboratory under the guidance of Professor Mitsuyama.

Through microscopes and incubators, Yoshida saw with his own eyes new tooth germs actually sprouting on the gums of the lab mice, some of which had even grown into complete little teeth.

"Incredible..."

Yoshida couldn’t help but exclaim, "Mr. Mitsuyama, in some respects, modern medicine is truly light-years ahead of Chinese medicine. A miracle of regeneration like this was unthinkable before."

As an expert in Japanese Kampo Medicine, Yoshida had always been dedicated to finding wisdom in ancient formulas.

But faced with this kind of black-box technology that solved problems at the genetic and cellular level, he had to admit defeat.

Professor Mitsuyama pushed up his glasses, looking quite pleased. "But of course. While Kampo Medicine has its unique strengths, it’s simply too primitive compared to hardcore regenerative medicine like this."

"By the way, Mr. Yoshida, what have you been researching lately? Have any new Kampo medicines come out?"

Yoshida shook his head, his expression dimming. "Don’t even mention it. The Kampo world has recently faced an unprecedented challenge."

"A genius doctor named Li Xu has emerged in Dragon Country. A few of the Chinese patent medicines he developed—some eye drops, an Aloe Vera Frost, and that sobering tea—have completely swept the market. Sales of some of our traditionally strong products, like Dragon Horn Powder, have been hit hard. I’ve spent over a year trying to crack his formulas, but... I’ve come up with nothing."

Mitsuyama comforted him, "Don’t lose heart. Chinese medicine is, after all, an empirical science with a limited ceiling. Look, they’ll never be able to achieve things like ’limb regeneration’ or ’tooth regeneration.’ The future still belongs to our modern medicine."

Yoshida nodded with a bitter smile. Although he felt a little uneasy, he couldn’t refute it.

He touched a few of his own slightly loose teeth and asked, "Mr. Mitsuyama, when exactly will this tooth regeneration technology be available? My teeth aren’t doing so well either. I’ve had several fillings, and getting implants is too painful."

Mitsuyama shrugged. "It’s still in the clinical trial phase. As you know, the approval process for this kind of new technology is very long. Optimistically, the earliest would be around 2030."

"2030..."

Yoshida sighed in defeat. "My teeth probably won’t be able to wait that long. I’ll probably be wearing a full set of dentures by then."

...

「Feng City, early morning.」

Li Xu woke from his sleep and stretched lazily.

He habitually opened the system interface to check the intel.

[Today’s Intel: Tooth Regeneration Formula. It can stimulate the qi and blood in the alveolar bone, activate latent tooth germs, allow teeth to regrow after falling out or being extracted, and effectively repair enamel damage...]

[The specific formula is as follows: Arnebia root (naturally wild), Drynaria fortunei (must be steamed and sun-dried nine times), Ginseng (over fifty-year-old Wild Ginseng), burnt alum, Danggui (washed in wine)...]

[Note: Regrowing teeth is an act that defies nature and is extremely difficult. The medicinal strength of ordinary herbs is insufficient to be effective. The main ingredients, especially the Arnebia root, Drynaria fortunei, and Ginseng, must be the best of the best; only the absolute highest quality can be used...]

...

Li Xu stared at the intel, the shock in his heart not subsiding for a long time.

’Tooth regeneration?’

’In the medical world, this was simply a fairy tale, a myth, a forbidden zone.’

’As everyone knew, once a person’s permanent teeth came in, they were an irreplaceable resource.’

’If they broke or fell out, you could only patch them up. Even with today’s most advanced dental implants, it’s just drilling a hole in the bone and inserting an artificial root.’

’Although "breakthrough in tooth regeneration technology" clickbait headlines would pop up in the news from time to time, Li Xu was a regular reader of top medical journals and knew perfectly well that most of these were just lab mouse experiments in a petri dish. They were still a million miles away from being applied to humans.’