Teeth prosthesis

I speak from an almost limitless depth of ignorance when I say that one of the main problems with prostheses is attaching them to the body. Artificial limbs which strap on over the flesh-covered stump can chafe, and are difficult to secure rigidly in place.

Ideally, the prosthesis (or at least a fixing socket therefore) would be attached directly to the bone. This can be done, but is not at all easy, because the prosthesis must pass through the skin, and this is a potential route for the ingress of infection.

Teeth, however, have got this problem sorted. Although the tooth protrudes from your fleshy, bloody inside, through your gums and into the bacteria-laden outside world, it is not often a source of infection if properly maintained.

I note also that some progress has been made in inducing tooth formation in various tissues, either by transplanting tooth buds or simply by using growth factors which induce tooth formation.

I additionally note that the exposed parts of teeth can be engineered much like any other inert ceramic, without causing any problems.

So.

The plan is to develop this into a way of growing teeth at the site of an amputation. With luck (and some lax legislation), it should be possible to create a decent cluster of teeth on the end of the stump, rooted nicely in the underlying bone. These teeth can then be drilled, capped and generally tinkered with to create an engineerially sound socket for the attachment of a prosthesis.