Believe it! This is neither a fairy tale nor a joke. Two months ago, a group of scientists from Columbia University, in USA, has announced the development of a new breakthrough in dentistry which can make dental fillings and dental implants become history. This new technique utilizes stem cells in growing new tooth or teeth, and it has achieved great success in laboratory trials.
Usually, losing a tooth means suffering from pain and deformity. Though modern dentistry offers myriad solutions for restoring missing teeth with artificial teeth, like dental implants, removable dentures or crown and bridge work, but each of these techniques has its limitations, risks, and high percentage of failures. For instance, healing period after the procedures of dental implants might take up to several months, plus, the implants which fail to fuse with natural jaw bones will fall out eventually. But what if you can regain your own natural adult tooth?
A recent study published in Journal of Dental Research has revealed that there is a new technique for tissue regeneration which will enable individuals to simply re-grow a brand new set for their lost teeth.
Dr. Jeremy Mao; Edward V. Zegarelli Professor of Dental Medicine , Columbia University Medical Centre, has revealed a recent growth factor-infused, 3-D scaffold with the ability to re-grow a new natural tooth in only 9 weeks after implantation. In Columbia University’s Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Dr. Mao and his group have succeeded in developing a new technique which can direct stem cells in the body towards 3-D scaffold; this scaffold is made of completely natural substance. As soon as stem cells will colonize in scaffold, an anatomically correct tooth will start to re-grow in the bony socket, and then fuse with the neighbouring tissues.
Dr. Mao’s new technique has a lot of advantages; actually, this technique is the first technique which utilizes one’s own body resources to successfully re-grow anatomically correct white pearls. In comparison with old dental implants, the new stem cells dental implants have faster healing period as well as natural procedures of regeneration.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
i live in brandon florida i would like to apply for the human trials. how do i go about doing this?
I live in iran.in salmas west azarbaijan.
i have lost 4 of my teeth.
how can i go about doing this?
please answer my question instantly.
Well, this technology is still in developing stages and it will take many years before this becomes practical. Right now, the best option would be to go for dental implant
I recently had my second filling in my life done (I’m 34). The problem is that the dentist messed up really really badly. First, he drilled into the wrong part of my tooth (where there was no decay), then he broke a cusp. Finally, after the tooth was filled, I found out the filling was not properly bonded, so now I get sharp pain from eating crunchy foods with that tooth.
I went to a second dentist, and he said that if the job had been done properly, my filling could have lasted many years. As it is, because the other dentist weakened my tooth so much, he does not think he can re-fill it without it breaking. He is recommending a porcelain fused to high noble metal crown. He does not think I will need a root canal.
My question is this: Do you know if this or the other technologies, such as the melanocyte stimulating hormone gel will work on teeth that have been covered with composite or other adhesive and a crown? If the crown is removed, will biological materials adhere to existing tooth structure if it has been covered with synthetic materials for many years?
Does the stem-cell approach only work if you start from scratch, or can stem cells be used to regrow only portions of a crown?
What if someone did have a root canal and had all their wisdom teeth removed? Is there any other source of stem cells that can be used? Why aren’t they considering using bone marrow stem cells? Yes, it hurts. I know this because I have been tested for the marrow donor bank. However, I, for one, would gladly put up with this extreme but temporary pain to have a perfectly healed, natural tooth!