For the majority of adolescents and young adults, wisdom teeth are nothing more than extra molars that need to be removed when unpleasant symptoms present. What many don’t know is that wisdom teeth hold a valuable reservoir of stem cells – cells that can be used for potentially life-saving medical treatments later in life. Research indicates that stem cells from wisdom teeth show promise for an impressive range of therapeutic applications, from cardiovascular disease and musculoskeletal disorders to diabetes.
Stem cells from wisdom teeth
Wisdom tooth extraction is a perfect opportunity to harvest dental stem cells from teeth that would normally be discarded. This routine procedure is one of our most common here at Innovative Implant and Oral Surgery, and by partnering with Stem Save, we can now offer patients the ability to preserve these regenerative cells for later use.
Stem Save – an industry leader in stem cell banking – isolates the dental pulp of wisdom teeth and processes the stem cells for cryopreservation.
There are numerous benefits to harvesting stem cells during wisdom teeth extraction, as there is no discomfort or inconvenience of having an extra surgical procedure. We are excited to offer this extraordinary opportunity to our patients interested in the power of regenerative medicine with stem cell therapy.
Lifesaving potential of dental stem cells
Once the dental stem cells have been processed and safely cryopreserved, they remain viable for many decades. By conserving these valuable cells, which are a potent platform for emerging treatments, patients have access to manifold applications to cure disease, treat illness and heal injuries. This is because stem cells are “precursor” cells capable of self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation. In layman’s terms, this means they can regenerate and grow into specialized cells used to heal cartilage, ligaments, bone, muscle, nerves, skin and other types of tissue.
Dental stem cells promise amazing advances in regenerative medicine, as scientists investigate better, less invasive ways to treat systemic disease, injury and trauma. Stem cell therapy holds tremendous potential and is already used to treat anemia, liver disease and metabolic disorders. Stem cells harvested from bone marrow have been used in transplants for decades. They can be used to grow new skin for burn victims and restore tissues and organs damaged by disease or injury.
As researchers make new discoveries in the realm of regenerative medicine, stem cell banking is viewed as a compelling type of biological insurance.
The future applications of dental stem cells for medical treatment is an encouraging prospect. Scientists are developing stem cell therapies to address:
- Cognitive diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s
- Muscular dystrophy
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Crohn’s Disease
- Arthritis
- Brain injuries
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Spinal cord injury
- Corneal damage
- Auto-immune diseases
- Chronic coronary artery disease
- Gangrene of the limbs
- Pancreatic dysfunction
Where are stem cells found?
Adult stem cells – also known as somatic cells – are found throughout the body. They exist in the deep tissues of the skin, heart, liver, muscle, teeth, bones, liver, brain, ovaries and testes. Soft dental pulp is a rich source of mesenchymal cells, a type of stem cell similar to that obtained from bone marrow. Before this discovery, these powerful cells were routinely thrown away during dental procedures like wisdom teeth extraction. Now, however, our patients can save these cells for reparative and curative treatments down the road.
Innovative treatments derived from dental stem cells could one day be commonplace and used when conventional therapies fail.
Cryopreservation of stem cells in teeth: advantages
Why is saving stem cells during dental procedures gaining traction? There are four key benefits of freezing stem cells from a wisdom tooth extraction:
- Accessible– Dental stem cells are easily harvested during tooth extraction.
- Least invasive– Compared to other methods of harvesting adult stem cells, this process is the least invasive, entailing no pain.
- Convenient – Protect your future during a routine wisdom tooth extraction without the expense or risk of a second procedure.
- Therapeutic applications – Utilize your own stem cells for repairing and regenerating tissues and other health-related matters later in life.
Protect your future by banking dental stem cells
For more than four decades, Innovative Implants and Oral Surgery has been helping residents throughout Bucks County and Montgomery County regain their smile and confidence with exceptional, patient-centered care. By banking stem cells from wisdom teeth, our patients can now harness the ability to treat future injury, sickness and disease without invasive surgery or potent medications.
Preserving stem cells during wisdom teeth extraction may hold the key to protecting your health and that of your family. Contact our Feasterville, Pennsylvania office to learn more about this revolutionary process and the advantages of stem cell cryopreservation.
Additional Resources:
- Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine, Current overview on dental stem cells applications in regenerative dentistry https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367063/
- Stem Save, Current Clinical Applications for Stem Cells https://www.stemsave.com/Docs/PublishedResearch/human%20clinical%20trials-ASC%2010-07.pdf