Every day, thousands of wisdom teeth – and the healthy, viable stem cells that live within the dental pulp – are extracted and discarded as medical waste. But as doctors and researchers are unlocking therapeutic uses for these valuable stem cells, more patients are opting to bank them.
There are only a few times when an otherwise healthy tooth is extracted within someone’s lifetime, if ever. Healthy adult teeth contain abundant stores of stem cells. Wisdom teeth removal offers the ideal opportunity to bank these cells. California Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center has partnered with Stemodontics™ to help eligible extraction patients harvest and bank their stem cells in a safe, ethical, and practical manner. Please watch the provided videos to learn more about stem cell banking, visit the Stemodontics website, or ask Dr. Park, Dr. Arcan, and Dr. Brewer about your stem cell banking options.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells naturally occur within the body and are responsible for repairing and restoring tissues. These are specialized cells that can duplicate and grow into any other specialized cell that the body may need, such as skin, nerves, muscles, bones, etc. Stem cells are unique in this way because other cells in the body can only regenerate and restore specific tissues (muscle tissue cells can only duplicate into new muscle tissue cells, etc.). Because of stem cell’s prolific and restorative properties, they have the potential to heal and restore skin, nerves, muscles, bones, and more. Adult stem cells are extremely viable and can replicate in a controlled environment outside of the body. Doctors and researchers are constantly researching and demonstrating the powerful potential of stem cells.
The research for stem cells is well underway, and clinical trials have begun for certain therapies. One day, the hope is there that the untreatable diseases and disorders of today can be successfully treated in the future.
Why bank stem cells?
Imagine that stem cells may one day prevent a future illness or disease for you or your loved ones. The advances in stem cell research that are currently underway present the opportunity for you to you’re your own healthy, viable stem cells.
As we age, the stem cells that naturally occur in our body break down in quality and quantity. Each time cells duplicate, they lose their value slightly, which is why it is more difficult for our bodies to fight disease or recover from an illness as we get older. Banking stem cells at a healthy, younger age allows for maximum collection potential.
At California Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center, we believe that our patients should be presented with the knowledge and the opportunity to bank their stem cells. In general, the chance to harvest and bank healthy, viable stem cells is limited throughout one’s lifetime. A tooth extraction, such as wisdom teeth removal, presents an ideal opportunity to turn medical waste into medical potential.
How do I get started?
It’s easy to get started with Stemodontics! Just sign up at our office before your surgical procedure. Dr. Brewer, Dr. Park, and Dr. Arcan, are happy to answer any questions you may have about the enrollment, collection, and storage process.
Once you have signed up, Stemodontics will send a collection kit to California Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center in advance of your procedure. Your oral surgeon will remove and properly store the extracted tooth, and ship it back to the Stemodontics laboratory for immediate processing and storage. When you need to use your stem cell sample, just contact Stemodontics, who will ship your sample to your designated healthcare provider.
Enroll today! Click here to learn more about stem cell banking services through Stemondontics.