What are stem cells?
Stem cells are the "master" cells of the body. Stem cells are defined by their ability to make many different types of cells, and to divide many more times than regular cells, which is why scientists are extremely enthusiastic about using stem cells for regenerative medicine. However, a major question is where to get these powerful stem cells? Recently scientists have discovered that there are stem cells in teeth that can be collected from teeth that are falling out or removed during surgery that would otherwise be thrown away.
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What are dental stem cells?
Dental stem cells are adult stem cells (not embryonic stem cells) found in both baby teeth and wisdom teeth. Dental stem cells have been shown to be able to differentiate into bone, dental tissue, cartilage, and muscle, and there is even evidence that they may be able to differentiate into neural tissue. They are being studied for applications in dentistry and medicine.
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Diseases Treated
There are currently dozens of treatments in the clinic or being investigated for adult stem cells - ranging from treatments of leukemia to cardiovascular disease to osteoporosis. There are currently no FDA-approved applications using dental stem cells, since these stem cells were discovered relatively recently. Scientists anticipate the earliest applications will be for the repair of damaged tooth structures, bone regeneration, and perhaps ultimately also for the treatment of neural tissue injury or neurodegenerative diseases. Dental stem cells may also be useful for close relatives of the donor such as grandparents, parents, uncles, and siblings.
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What makes dental stem cells so unique?
Stem cells are the "master" cells of the body. Dental stem cells different than other stem cells in many ways:
• They are very easy to collect. Unlike harvesting bone marrow stem cells which requires invasive surgery and cord blood stem cells which are only available at birth, dental stem cells can be collected from baby teeth and wisdom teeth which would otherwise be discarded.
• Dental stem cells are adult stem cells and are not the subject of the same ethical concerns as embryonic stem cells.
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What is the difference between dental stem cells and cord blood stem cells?
Dental stem cells are complementary to stem cells from cord blood. While cord blood stem cells have proven valuable in the regeneration of blood cell types, dental stem cells able to regenerate solid tissue types that cord blood cannot - such as potentially repairing connective tissues, dental tissues, neuronal tissue and bone.
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