Why Don’t We Grow a Third Set of Teeth?

Unless you’re a shark or an alligator, you were born without teeth (they’re still in your gums), you grew baby teeth that eventually fell out, and ever since then you’ve had the same set of adult teeth. You might be hoping to live for 80 or 90 years, and your teeth will go through a ton of wear and tear during that time–they probably already have.

So why don’t we grow a third set of teeth midway through our lives?

Let’s get the real answer out of the way first before I discuss the pros and cons of this proposition. Thanks to this informative article, I now know that humans have the DNA to regrow teeth (and even lost limbs), but the ability isn’t turned on like it is in sharks.

It seems highly likely that our understanding of DNA will continue to improve, and the possibility of a new set of teeth (or specific teeth) will be possible someday. If so, will you take up your local gene doctor on the offer?

My initial instinct was of course! My teeth are in pretty good shape, but I’ve had a few cavities, and they’re not the pearly whites that emerged in my mouth during puberty–they’ve seen a lot of foods of different colors, and a lot of chocolate.

But then I remembered what I went through to grow my current set of teeth. Many of my adult teeth didn’t want to come in, requiring some creative dentistry to encourage them. I wore braces for 5 years as part of that effort (and to straighten the teeth when they arrived). I also had my wisdom teeth removed years ago. Do I really want to go through all that again?

So I think my answer is: I would do it selectively, perhaps focusing on the molars and then the most visible teeth when I smile (most of my upper teeth). But it would be a close call. A miracle of science, to be sure, but I don’t relish the idea of reliving those years in braces again.

What do you think? Would you want to regrow some or all of your teeth if you had the option?