The UK spends £5.8 billion a year on dental treatments.
Over four-fifths of the UK population have at least one filling.
31% of adults have tooth decay.
There were 42,911 operations in 2016-17 to remove children's teeth
Regenerative dental fillings that allow teeth to heal themselves have been developed
Source: http://www.nationalsmilemonth.org, BBC News,
The discovery of stem cells in dental pulp has led to much research and predictions about their potential uses.
On such use has been identified in regenerating dental tissues, with scientists venturing that stem cell research and development will, over time, transform dental practice in a magnitude far greater than amalgam or dental implants.
The potential benefits of stem cell dental implants are simply vast. If a completely organic tooth can be grown in place of a lost one, instead of settling for an artificial crown, the consequences for oral health could be very important. At the moment, dental implants are largely successful, but misalignment and rejection can be occur and it is not unusual for implanted teeth to fall out after insertion because the bone underneath has deteriorated.
Research into Stem Cell Treatment
However, regenerative dental fillings that allow teeth to heal themselves have been developed by researchers, potentially eliminating the need for root canals.
The tooth filling works by stimulating stem cells to encourage the growth of dentin—the bony material that makes up the majority of the tooth—allowing patients to effectively regrow teeth that are damaged through dental disease.
While still in the early stages of development, stem cell research in dentistry is growing rapidly with the potential application for oral and maxillofacial tissue regeneration now being considered an achievable reality.
Protect Their Future Health
If you want more information on how you could bank your children’s baby teeth for potential future therapeutic use, have a chat to one of our team or download our guide to stem cell banking.
