Stem Cell Banking with Stemodontics at Fresno Oral Surgery
Clinical trials have shown great promise for the future of regenerative medicine. Oral surgeons are able to take advantage of the factors involved in wisdom teeth extraction. Your child’s age, since wisdom teeth are typically removed between the years of 17 and 25, is perfect for stem cell banking. Since extracted teeth are usually healthy, it’s a perfect opportunity to maximize the benefit of this procedure. Once these healthy stem cells are stored, they will be ready to serve a variety of functions in the future, if necessary. Even if your child needs bone marrow repaired, or cancer cells restored, stem cells may be able to help. At Fresno Oral Surgery, your team of dental professionals can easily go through the process of harvesting stem cells. Every oral surgeon here is familiar with the process, which means your child is in good hands. The process starts by setting up an appointment for wisdom teeth removal. When you set up your child’s appointment, indicate your interest in stem cell banking. Then, your oral surgeon can walk you through the process and answer any questions you have about collection or storage. Once your child’s wisdom teeth have been extracted, they will be shipped to a lab, where the stem cells will be banked in case of future need. When you enroll with Fresno Oral Surgery, you’ll pay an initial processing fee, then a monthly storage fee. Schedule your wisdom teeth removal today and ask your oral surgeon about stem cell banking!
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are an exciting topic these days in the medical community. Scientific researchers have discovered great
potential to cure diseases, solutions that have eluded scientists so far. Most cells are highly specialized, which
means that repairing damage is limited to the number of specialized cells available. However, adult stem cells can
adapt to the needs of most specialized cells. This means they can repair most forms of specialized tissue.
There are two categories of stem cells, based on their function. During pregnancy, embryonic stem cells assist with
developing internal organs and systems. In the earliest stages of pregnancy, these systems range from the immune
system to the cardiovascular system. However, researchers are especially excited about the second category, adult
stem cells. They can survive outside the body, unlike other cells. Adult stem cells are incredibly adaptable too.
This means that stem cells can be stored until needed, in a specialized storage facility such as a laboratory. These
stem cells can ensure peace of mind, especially if family members have a medical history of cancer, diabetes, or
similar diseases.
Why bank stem cells?
Banking stem cells by storing wisdom teeth is important. Even though your child may have other teeth removed in
adulthood, wisdom teeth are the best option. This is because other extractions will remove unhealthy teeth. Most
wisdom teeth are perfectly healthy and have the greatest potential for using stem cells in regenerative medicine.
Your child’s age is also important. It’s important to bank stem cells as early as possible. This is because the
younger the patient’s age, the higher their stem cell count. For every year the patient ages, decline occurs.
Even if you’ve already taken the step of banking your child’s umbilical cord blood, the benefits are different. Cord
blood stem cells are useful when it comes to facilitating blood cell regeneration. However, stem cells stored in
wisdom teeth are used to regenerate solid tissue. This is crucial when it comes to fighting diseases such as cancer,
leukemia, and diabetes. Since stem cells — MSCs, in the case of wisdom teeth, which refers to mesenchymal stem cells
— can transform and duplicate into different cell types, they serve as a form of insurance. This can be lifesaving
if your child ever experiences a major health crisis.