Stem Cells Regenerate Parts of Teeth

Ivanhoe Broadcast News ^ | 12.26.06

[Coleus]

Stem cells from may help scientists grow parts of teeth you may need in the future. Researchers from University of Southern California School of Dentistry have regenerated tooth roots and ligaments to restore tooth function in pigs. They believe this breakthrough looks very promising to use in people.

Scientists used stem cells harvested from the extracted wisdom teeth of 18-to 20-year-olds to create enough root and ligament structure to support the restoration of a crown in their pig model. The restoration was similar to the original tooth in function and strength. The technique uses stem cells harvested from the root apical papilla, which develops a tooth's root and periodontal ligament. Previous studies used dental pulp stem cells.

"The apical papilla provides better stem cells for root structure regeneration," says lead researcher Songtao Shi, DDS, Ph.D. "With this technique, the strength of the tooth restoration is not quite as strong as the original tooth, but we believe it is sufficient to withstand normal wear and tear." Dr. Shi hopes to begin clinical trials using the technique with the next few years. This could greatly help dental patients who are not the right candidates for dental implants or would rather use living tissue from their own teeth. This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert

[bukkdems]

Damn, that is good news if you smoked crack for five years, lost your front teeth, and then became CEO of a major corporation so you could afford the treatment.

[2ndDivisionVet]

It sems that man is on the cusp of immortality, what with cloning, stem cells and the like. Scientist will be able to grow new organs, teeth, skin, etc. in a few years, from all I've been reading.

[null and void]

Yeah! Imagine an immortal Hillary!™

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Shoot, if everybody can regrow teeth, you won't be able to tell Northerners and Southerners apart : )

[Screamname]

New teeth? Groovy baby...Yeah!

[Lizavetta]

To hell with new teeth.

Fix Type 1 diabetes FIRST.

[ARE SOLE]

I'll take some of them infidel teefus.

[bpjam]

I demand answers!!! This can't possibly be true! There must be a conspiracy in place to put out these kind of 'successes' using non-embryonic stem cells and a complete news blackout on all of the wonderful progress and miracles created by harvesting stem cells from aborted fetuses and cloned embryos.

I think Henry Waxman should make this the first item on his 2007 Global Investigations Tour. For all of the money that taxpayers are putting up for embryonic and fetal stem cells, we should not have to suffer the injustice of having adult stem cell advances rubbed in our faces.

Harrumph!! Harrummph!!!

[AntiGuv]

FutureTechPing!

An emergent technologies list covering biomedical research, fusion power, nanotech, AI robotics, and other related fields. FReepmail to join or drop.

[NormsRevenge]

Cool. Here's a happy customer.

[Grizzled Bear]

grow parts of teeth
_________________________________________________________
Wouldn't it be better to grow one whole tooth rather than grow part of a tooth? I assume you would need to attach the "part of a tooth" to an existing tooth. I would imagine the result would be some kind of bizzare "Franken-Grin."

[marvlus]

LOL!

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

ADULT stem-cell (Pro-Life) PING.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

"Wouldn't it be better to grow one whole tooth rather than grow part of a tooth?"

---

To paraphrase Rumsfeld, you don't go to lunch with the chompers you want, you go to lunch with the chompers you got.

[neverdem]

bump & a ping

[dforest]

Folks will no longer have to brush their TOOTH at night!

[Grizzled Bear]

Hey; is this the "Regenerated Teeth" Ping list I have been hearing about? I thought it was about a fusion-rock band!

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

When pig's teeth fly! ;^)

[Billthedrill]

No, this is great! We harvest the stem cells from the 18-to-21-year-olds and grow new body parts out of them and stick the whippersnappers with the bill through Medicare! Being old was never this much fun!