Thai Medical Vacation is proud to offer one of the latest, most advanced and safest stem cell treatments on the planet using the multipurpose MSC Mesenchymal stem cells found in the soft living tissue of wisdom teeth called dental pulp stem cells.
What are Dental Pulp Stem Cells?
Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSC) are Adult Stem Cells (ASC) NOT embryonic stem cells. They are found in both baby teeth and wisdom teeth. Stem cells from teeth have been shown to be able to differentiate into bone, dental tissue, cartilage, and muscle, and there is even evidence that they may be able to differentiate into neural tissue.
A relatively recent addition to the stem cell family and holding promise as an easily obtained source of adult stem cells, dental pulp stem cell (DPSCs) were discovered at the beginning of this decade. DPSCs, also known as SHED cells (stem cells harvested from exfoliated deciduous teeth, are one of the few discovered stem cells available from a naturally molted human tissue. Dental pulp, which is living tissue at the center of the tooth made up of cells called “odontoblasts,” contains the aptly-named DPSCs. Dental Pulp Stem Cells were originally identified as being able to produce odontoblast-like cells as well as a tissue similar to dentin, which normally surrounds and protects the dental pulp.
Current medical applications generally use adult stem cells from bone marrow or cord blood to treat leukemia, certain cancers and other blood-related diseases however dental pulp stem cells are quickly proving to be a valuable resource mainly because they can be obtained in a completely noninvasive manner, and have relatively broad differentiation capabilities, Dental Pulp Stem Cells may offer significant contributions to the field of regenerative medicine.
Dental pulp is the soft living tissue inside a tooth. Dental Pulp Stem cells are found inside the soft living tissue. This particular type of stem cell has the future potential to differentiate into a variety of other cell types including:
• Cardio Myocytes to repair damaged cardiac tissue following a heart attack
• Neuronal to generate nerve and brain tissue
• Myocytes to repair muscle
• Osteocytes to generate bone
• Chondrocytes to generate cartilage
• Adipocytes to generate fat
• Bone and tissue from the oral cavity
Why are Dental Pulp Stem Cells unique?
Stem cells are the “master” cells of the body. Dental pulp stem cells differ from other stem cells in many ways:
• Dental Pulp stem cells are plentiful and easy to collect. Unlike the harvesting of bone marrow stem cells, which requires invasive surgery, and cord blood stem cells, which are only available at birth, dental stem cells can be collected from baby teeth and wisdom teeth, which would otherwise be discarded.
• Dental pulp stem cells are adult stem cells and are NOT the subject of the same ethical concerns as embryonic stem cells.
What is the difference between dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) and cord blood stem cells (CBSC)?
Dental pulp stem cells are complementary to stem cells from cord blood. If you banked your child’s cord blood cells, there are still potential benefits if you bank his or her dental stem cells as well. And if you missed the chance to store cord blood, you may want to consider the range of potential applications that may be possible with stem cells from your child’s teeth – either baby teeth or wisdom teeth.
Dental pulp stem cells consist mostly mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) while cord blood consists predominantly of hematopoietic stem cells; bone marrow contains both types of stem cells.
While cord blood stem cells have proven valuable in the regeneration of blood cell types, dental pulp stem cells are able to regenerate solid tissue types that cord blood cannot – such as potentially repairing connective tissues, dental tissues, neuronal tissue and bone.
We welcome the opportunity to give you the information that you need to make the most informed decision as you consider your stem cell treatment.
Communication, mutual trust and confidence are necessary to ensure a successful experience. We encourage you to ask questions, and will take all of the time that is needed to answer them thoroughly and to your satisfaction.
For a free custom inquiry about Dental Pulp Stem Cells please contact us today.