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What are stem cells? |
Stem cells are immature, unspecialized cells in the body that are able to grow into specialized cell types by a process known as “differentiation.” There are two primary sources of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells, the latter of which are found in many organs and tissues in the human body, including the dental pulp contained within teeth.
Embryonic stem cells have the ability to grow into any cell type in the body. However, there is great ethical controversy regarding obtaining and using these stem cells for medical research and treatment purposes.
Until recently, it was thought that adult stem cells could only turn into cells that were the same as those in the tissues and organs in which they were found. It is now known that adult stem cells taken from one area of the body can be transplanted into another area and grown into a completely different type of tissue. This ability to grow and regenerate tissues is the focus of the emerging field of personalized medicine which uses a patient’s own stem cells for biologically compatible therapies and individually tailored treatments.
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How are stem cells being used in medicine? |
Stem cell-based therapies are being investigated for the treatment of many conditions, including neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis, liver disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and for nerve regeneration following brain or spinal cord injury. Currently, patients are being treated using stem cells for bone fractures, cancer (bone marrow transplants) and spinal fusion surgery.
New stem cell therapies are continually under review, or have already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Many other therapies are in various stages of product development. As the number of people affected by degenerative diseases continues to increase, there will be a greater need for new treatment options for the ever-growing aging population. Harvesting and storing stem cells now will ensure their availability in the future when they will be needed most.
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How difficult is it to obtain stem cells to bank for future use? |
In the case of dental stem cells, the process is not at all difficult. In fact, it is easy. Healthy stem cells are discarded on a daily basis as the result of routine dental procedures (tooth extractions). The stem cells contained within the pulp of healthy teeth are the most easily-accessible stem cells that can be recovered. When compared to other types of stem cells and their corresponding methods of recovery (i.e., stem cells obtained from embryos, cord blood, bone marrow, adipose (fat tissue) and peripheral blood), obtaining stem cells from teeth is ethically uncontroversial, non-invasive, less dependent on timing and far less expensive. As opposed to stem cell recovery from cord blood, wherein there is one single opportunity immediately following the birth of a child, there are numerous opportunities to obtain stem cells from teeth. It is best, however, to recover and store dental stem cells at an early age. Those obtained from the extracted loose baby teeth of a healthy child and those extracted from a healthy adolescent (i.e. bicuspid teeth removed in preparation for orthodontic treatment and extracted wisdom teeth) are ideal.
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Why should I consider banking stem cells from my or my child’s teeth? |
Tooth-derived stem cells are readily accessible and provide an easy and minimally invasive way to obtain and store stem cells for future use. Banking ones own tooth-derived stem cells is a reasonable and simple alternative to harvesting stem cells from other tissues.
Obtaining stem cells from baby teeth is simple and convenient, with little or no trauma. Every child loses baby teeth, which creates the perfect opportunity to recover and store this convenient source of stem cells – should they be needed to treat future injuries or ailments – and presents a far better alternative to simply discarding the teeth or storing them as mementos from the past.
Furthermore, using ones own stem cells poses few, if any, risks for developing immune reactions or rejection following transplantation and also eliminates the potential of contracting disease from donor cells.
Stem cells can also be recovered from developing wisdom teeth and permanent teeth. Individuals have different opportunities at different stages of their life to bank these valuable stem cells
It is best to recover stem cells when you or your child are young and healthy and the cells are strong and proliferative.
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When can I bank stem cells from my child’s teeth or from my own teeth?
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With regard to your children, the best time to recover baby teeth with stem cells is before the teeth become very loose, as the cells in the dental pulp will remain more viable if they continue to have a blood supply. Your dentist will determine the optimal time for the removal of these teeth. StemSave provides you with the opportunity to recover the teeth for stem cell preservation once the teeth have been removed. Remember that your child will not be sacrificing a tooth, as baby teeth are lost naturally to allow for the permanent teeth to erupt.
Adolescents have two excellent opportunities for banking their dental stem cells: following extraction of bicuspid teeth in preparation for orthodontic treatment, and after the extraction of their wisdom teeth. Although these teeth are typically discarded, you can ask your dentist to participate with StemSave in providing you the opportunity to recover and preserve your family’s dental stem cells.
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If I do not have neurological damage or some other stem cell therapy-associated disease, why should I care about stem cells? |
Families and individuals are choosing to bank their stem cells as biological insurance hence, even if an individual does not currently suffer from a stem cell treatable ailment, it makes sense to bank your stem cells today. According to the NIH [National Institute of Health], regenerative medicine [stem cell based medicine ] is the future of medicine. Stem cells represent the body’s natural repair and maintenance systems. Regenerative medicine harnesses the unique qualities of stem cells to treat disease, trauma and injury. Per the NIH, stem cells hold the promise of curing many of today’s intractable health issues and disease and will lead to longer healthier lives. However, stem cells age along with the individual hence, the younger the better. Banking your own stem cells also eliminates the need to find a donor and assures a perfect cellular match - thereby eliminating the need for immune suppression treatments.
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