What is a Dental Pulp Derived Stem Cell?
Dental stem cells are stem cells found in the pulp of children’s primary teeth. As it is known, after milk teeth fall out, they are either thrown away or stored in different ways according to customs and traditions.
With the advancement of technologies for freezing and storing living cells, there has been increasing interest in the cryopreservation of dental pulp stem cells in recent years. Dental cells belong to the group of mesenchymal stem cells, which have the ability to transform into bone, dental structures, cartilage, muscle tissue, and more. Additionally, there is evidence suggesting that they may have the potential to differentiate into nerve system cells.
What are the Clinical Uses of Dental Pulp Derived Stem Cells?
- In the skeletal system (bone, cartilage, connective tissue),
- In diseases of tissues such as fatty tissue and heart muscle tissue,
- Type 1 diabetes,
- In spinal cord and nervous system injuries,
- In Crohn's disease,
- In tissue incompatibility disease,
- In plastic surgery,
- In nervous system diseases,
- In tissue engineering applications for wound healing,
- In cell repair during heart attack,
- In eye and cornea, dental and jaw diseases,
- In regenerative medicine treatments,
- In corneal injuries,
- In Alzheimer's disease,
- In Parkinson's disease,
- It is used in jaw surgery.
How is Tooth Pulp-Derived Stem Cells Collected?
Primary (baby) teeth typically fall out naturally and without pain or bleeding. However, the amount of stem cells in spontaneously lost baby teeth may be reduced, leading to insufficient cell yield.
If the goal is to preserve stem cells, it is ideal to extract a tooth that is still in circulation but has just begun to loosen. A slight bleeding after extraction is a good indicator of the ideal condition. These types of cells are both the healthiest and come from teeth that have not yet decayed. The extraction of a healthy baby tooth can be performed in the most suitable and hygienic manner by a dentist. If there is such a request, it would be appropriate to contact a dentist.
Once the decision to extract a baby tooth has been made with the dentist, the extracted tooth is sent under special transfer conditions, along with blood taken from the individual, to ONKIM’s GMP laboratories. In the laboratory, the dental stem cells are cultured and multiplied. They are then stored for use by the family.