Bank your teeth for stem cells

What are stem cells? 

Stem cells are cells present in almost all multi cellular organisms. Stem cells have the ability to renew themselves by the process of miotic cell division, and to develop into a wide and diverse range of specialized cell types. Stem cells are valuable research tools.

What is stem cell banking?

At the time of a child’s birth, umbilical cord is cut and discarded. The remaining blood in umbilical cord is full of stem cells. These cells are collected and preserved, so they can be used in the future in case of life threatening diseases. Though it is an expensive procedure, but more and more parents are opting for preservation of stem cells of their children. With a shelf life of 21 years, it is seen as a health insurance. Not only can these cells be used for the child, but also for his siblings. Stem cells can generate many types of tissues, and are used in treating life threatening diseases like leukemia, lymphoma, etc.

Teeth as a source of stem cell:

There’s good news for people who do not have their cord blood stem cells preserved! In a relatively new research, it has been found that stem cells can be extracted from pulled teeth. Dental cells, like cord blood cells, are undifferentiated, and thus have the potential to grow into a wide variety of new cells, from blood to bone to muscle. Extraction of stem cells from teeth is a very simple and non-painful procedure for the patient. Tooth is extracted, and then the stem cells are drawn out at a lab, and preserved in stem cell bank. You can contact your implant dentist manhattan as he shall be able to shed more light in this respect.

It is easier to get undifferentiated cells (cells that can grow in wider variety) from healthy and young teeth, instead of old and decayed teeth. So wisdom tooth and milk teeth are an ideal option for stem cells. Healthy milk or baby teeth, and extracted wisdom teeth, are preserved and stem cells are drawn out from them. 

Conclusion:

Stem cells preservation is a revolutionary procedure in medical world. Stem cells have huge potential and it is important to recognize the potential of stem cell therapies in upcoming years, though the concept is still in developing stages. It can mean the difference between life and death. Stem cells have the potential to save the life of a patient from many malignant and non-malignant diseases. Research is also going on to use stem cells for the treatment of genetic diseases for which currently there is no cure. So for these reasons, a large number of parents are opting for preservation of cord blood cells, and also dental cells from milk teeth and extracted wisdom teeth. It is a health insurance like none other! Contact your implant dentist manhattan immediately in order to gain more knowledge about the procedure.