Shark Teeth and Human Dental Biology
Shark teeth are interesting models for studying biology, but they are not a guide to treating human teeth. Research into tooth development does not mean people can replace lost adult teeth naturally or skip ordinary preventive care.
Can shark research explain how human teeth developed?
It can help researchers ask questions, but comparisons need care. A 2021 study led by the University of Bristol and the Naturalis Biodiversity Center examined 415-million-year-old fossils of acanthodians, early relatives of sharks. It found that the teeth of living sharks do not represent the ancestral dentition of all jawed vertebrates. Complex arrangements of teeth have been gained and lost many times through evolutionary history, so tooth replacement in living sharks is not the most direct model for human dental problems. Fossils keep adding to that picture, including a 215-million-year-old jaw from Greenland with the oldest known molar-like teeth and the rare mineral that helps chiton teeth hold up.
Does this mean tooth regeneration is a treatment option?
No. The evolutionary study does not establish a treatment for patients. If you have a missing or damaged tooth, decisions should start with an examination and the options appropriate for your mouth. Our guide to dental implants explains one replacement option, and a crown may be considered for some damaged teeth. The same is true of experimental drugs aimed at regrowing lost teeth, which are still in research.
What is the practical lesson for your teeth?
Focus on protecting the teeth you have. Use fluoride toothpaste appropriate for your needs, clean between your teeth, and arrange regular dental examinations. Biology research can improve understanding without changing what an individual patient needs today.
At our San Marco office in Jacksonville, an examination connects your symptoms, medical history and dental findings to a treatment plan. Contact CJ Henley, DMD if you have a tooth concern.
Sources
Rücklin M, King B, Cunningham JA, Johanson Z, Marone F, Donoghue PCJ. Acanthodian dental development and the origin of gnathostome dentitions. Nat Ecol Evol. 2021;5(7):919-926. doi:10.1038/s41559-021-01458-4. Retrieved via PubMed.
University of Bristol. New study sheds light on the deep evolutionary origins of the human smile. May 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.