Is It Critical That We Save Teeth for Stem Cell Research?

 
According to NCBI, National Center of Biotechnology Information, both permanent and deciduous pulp tissue is easily available from teeth after extraction without ethical issues. The Department of Oral Disease Research, National Institute for Longevity Sciences, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology cited that there is potential for clinical use of these stem cells.

The National Geographic had an article late 2008, stated, "Like embryonic stem cells, the new cells—known as mesenchymal stem cells—are capable of developing into a variety of tissues, including bone, cartilage, and fat. These new lines of stem cells can be created without the use of an embryo—possibly sidestepping controversy." Harvard Stem Cell Institute, part of Harvard University in Massachusetts, includes tooth stem cells into their stem cell biology toward understanding disease processes and the development of treatment.

From all the studies I can find about dental stem cells, India is the country leading the initiative.

A number of colleges in India including:

• the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics at Seema Dental College and Hospital
• the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology at Shree Bankey Bihari Dental College and Research Centre
• the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology at Rajasthan Dental College
• the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics at the College of Dental Science and Hospital
• the Department of Conservative Dentistry, Shree Bankey Bihari Dental College and Research Centre
• the Department of Prosthodontics at the College of Dentistry

all agreed in a cooperative study that the dental pulp is a remarkable site of stem cells and collecting stem cells from dental pulp is a non invasive practice that can be performed in the adult during life and in the young after surgical extraction of wisdom teeth, a common surgical practice. 

The Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology at the Vydehi Institute of Dental Sciences and Research Center in India concludes with the advances in the stem cell biology, years from now dental stem cells will hopefully be able to correct cleft palate, save injured teeth and jaw bones, correct periodontal defects, and most strikingly regenerate the entire teeth structures.

All of this stem cell research in dentistry has given the opportunity for dentists to partake in  a leading role not only in the treatment chain of dental pathosis, but also in medical diseases. 

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