Can I do this at home?

You can collect baby teeth for dental stem cell banking at home, with the following restrictions:

• There must be a blood supply to the tooth when it is removed – that is, the tooth should bleed slightly when removed.
• The tooth must be banked using our Cultured Cell Service, so lab tests can be performed to confirm the presence of stem cells prior to cryopreservation.

However, Store-A-Tooth strongly recommends that a dentist or oral surgeon collect the tooth or teeth and place immediately into our tooth transport kit – whether it's a loose baby tooth that is naturally exfoliating, wisdom teeth, or other healthy permanent teeth that are scheduled to be extracted. By working closely with dentists, Store-A-Tooth ensures that teeth are collected under optimal conditions for recovery of the stem cells.

How fresh do the teeth need to be for Store-A-Tooth?

Teeth should be placed in our transport kit and chilled immediately after extraction; if a tooth is allowed to dry out, the tissue will no longer be viable for banking.

Which teeth are best?

All healthy teeth contain dental pulp that is a potential source of stem cells. It was originally thought that the best teeth were either the four front lower baby teeth, or wisdom teeth that are surgically removed, but we know now that all healthy teeth are good candidates for banking, including those that have been removed for orthodontic reasons.

Do teeth with cavities work?

In many cases, yes. However, teeth with extensive decay, or where there is reason to believe that the pulp has been compromised, should be discarded. Consult with your dentist or call our Clinical Specialists at 1-877-867-5753.

When should I schedule my visit to the dentist?

Contact Store-A-Tooth as soon as you notice a baby tooth is loose, or as soon as you begin planning an extraction so that we can ship our tooth collection and transport kit to you before the tooth or teeth come out.

Do I need to bring anything to the dentist's office?

Participating dentists are fully equipped to provide Store-A-Tooth services. However, to make things easier it is best if you enroll with Store-A-Tooth in advance, and we will send a Store-A-Tooth Tooth Collection and Transport kit directly to you, which you will bring with you to the dentist on the day of your appointment.

What does the dentist do?

Your dentist will follow his or her normal program for removing teeth, in many cases including the use of local anesthesia.

How long does it take?

The process can often be done in a few minutes.

Will I be charged a fee by my dentist when they collect the tooth?

Your dentist will make that decision - some dentists charge a nominal fee for the tooth extraction procedure.

What do I tell the Tooth Fairy?

A Tooth Fairy certificate is included in each Store-A-Tooth kit that your dentist can sign to certifies your child has lost a tooth. In our experience, the Tooth Fairy always accepts the certificate in lieu of a tooth!

What happens after I leave the dentist's office?

Your dentist will pack the tooth or teeth in our Save-a-Tooth® tooth transport kit and for shipping overnight to our laboratory. In the lab, the teeth are processed and undergo a viability assessment. The tissue containing stem cells is collected from the tooth, processed and finally cryopreserved at extremely cold temperatures, keeping the cells safe until the day you may need them. You will receive confirmation that the sample was received, processed, and stored.