The US spends roughly $111 billion a year on dental treatments
Approximately 91 percent of U.S. adults aged 20–64 have tooth decay
Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children in the U.S.
The number of hospital emergency department visits due to dental-related problems increased from 1.1 million in 2000 to 2.1 million in 2010
Regenerative dental fillings that allow teeth to heal themselves have been developed
Source: National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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.
The use of stem cells for dental treatment in humans is not yet approved in the United States, but researchers here remain busy, including trialling the theory using mice. Placing stem cells inside the tooth, they implant the teeth back into the mouse to evaluate new tissue formation, demonstrating that the potential application for oral and maxillofacial tissue regeneration could be an achievable reality for humans one day.
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.
