Dental Stem Cells Grow New Teeth

Scientists at the Columbia University’s Dental School have perfected a “cell-homing-based tooth regeneration” procedure that allows the use of autologous stem cells to grow teeth, including molars. In this blog-article, i will first examine the procedure (Section A) and then dig a little deeper in this technique’s modus operandi (Section B). Thereafter, i will discuss perspectives and clinical trials (Section C) and conclude with an over-all assessment.

Section A

How the Stem Cell Dental Procedure Works

Tooth regeneration is a stem cell based regenerative medicine procedure. It is tissue engineering via stem cell biology. Its purpose is to replace damaged or lost teeth by regrowing them from autologous stem cells. (1)

The dental bio-engineering is done via somatic stem cells that are collected and reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cells which can then be placed in the dental lamina directly or placed in a reabsorbable biopolymer  in the shape of the new tooth. (2)

Within 2 months, the stem cells grow into a new tooth, an exact match of the precedent tooth. As a bonus, the stem cells also produce the bone that connects the tooth to the jaw, eliminating the need for bone grafting, a procedure that can delay dental implant surgery 6 to 9 months. With regenerated teeth, there is also no risk of the implanted tooth falling out. (3)

While the dental company Odontics’ scientists have made significant advancements in stem cell tooth regeneration, the technique does not yet appear to be available in most dental clinics, let alone the official new standard of care. However, Dr. Jeremy Mao, the Edward V. Zegarelli Professor of Dental Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, has recently made significant progress using a growth factor-covered, three-dimensional scaffold.

In this perspective, Dr. Mao has developed a way to guide stem cells to the scaffold, where a tooth then grows and attaches to the surrounding tissue in as little as 9 weeks. This was one of the last obstacles in this dental bioengineering scheme (4)

This technology, referred to as cell-homing-based tooth regeneration, alleviates the need to prepare stem cells in an external environment, such as a Petri dish. Columbia University is in the process of or already has patented this technology. (5)

Human molar scaffolding from the lab of Dr. Jeremy Mao.
Credit: Image courtesy of Columbia University Medical Center

Section B

Mechanisms of Action: From Genes to stem Cell Differentiation

Young et al. first demonstrated in 2002 that teeth could be regenerated from cells. (6) Thereafter, scientists at the Dental Institute of King’s College London successfully used stem cells to grow new teeth in mice. A little later on, the UK based dental company Odontis developed the patented product, BioTooth¨, in 2004 and is awaiting additional clinical trials before putting this procedure on the market.

The researchers’ main difficulty was controlling the size and shape of the newly formed tooth. After 3 years of research, scientists at Odontis learned which genes were responsible for tooth type and size. This was a major breakthrough that brought them several steps closer to applying the technology to humans. Since, the scientists at Columbia have considerably perfected the technique of stem cell teeth regeneration.

“…a new technique pioneered in the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory of Dr. Jeremy Mao, Edward V. Zegarelli Professor of Dental Medicine, and a professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia University, can orchestrate the body’s stem cells to migrate to three-dimensional scaffold that is infused with growth factor. This can yield an anatomically correct tooth in as soon as nine weeks once implanted in the mouth.“These findings represent the first report of regeneration of anatomically shaped tooth-like structures in vivo,  and by cell homing without cell delivery,” Dr. Mao and his colleagues said in the paper.“The potency of cell homing is substantiated not only by cell recruitment into scaffold microchannels, but also by regeneration of a putative periodontal ligaments newly formed alveolar bone.” (7)

The Happiness Medicine Institute’s Assessment

Dr. Jeremy Mao, Co-Director at the Center for Craniofacial Regeneration and professor of dentistry at Columbia University Medical Center, is the first to succeed in using stem cells in the regrowth of adult teeth. His new device acts as a scaffold, covered in growth-factor and guiding a patient’s stem cells to form a new tooth. The resulting formation is correctly shaped and properly merged into the anatomy of the mouth. This amazing regeneration takes only nine weeks. (Cf Exhibit A)

Section C

Perspectives and Clinical Trials regarding Dental Regeneration and more

At present, there are just a few clinical trials related to dental stem cells, two illustrations of which are reproduced below. (Exhibit C) These trials are still  testing the feasibility of the stem cells and the tolerance of the stem cell implantation. The latest scientific journal i found describes the update as follows, in pertinent parts.

“Numerous preclinical studies have shown that dental stem cells improve bone augmentation and healing of periodontal diseases. Clinical trials are ongoing to validate the clinical feasibility of these approaches. Dental stem cells are also important for basic research. Expert opinion: Dental stem cells offer numerous advantages for tooth repair and regeneration. Data obtained from different studies are encouraging. In the next few years, investigations on dental stem cells in basic research, pre-clinical research and clinical studies will pave the way to optimizing patient-tailored treatments for repair and regeneration of dental tissues”  (Source) (8)

Thus, it looks like we have to wait a little more before our own stem cells can spur a “third” dentition. One trial in China is using stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) as the main target for investigation. Investigators from China are aiming to explore and clarify if autologous (cells or tissues obtained from the same individual) SHED stem cell transplantation can efficiently regenerate pulp (the center part of a tooth) and periodontal (connective tissue known as gum) tissue in immature permanent teeth and necrotic pulp of teeth in humans. (9)

Other Applications of Dental Stem Cells

Dental stem cells can differentiate into several cell types, such as neurons, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. From that, their therapeutic potential has been identified for various conditions, including neurological disorders, angiogenesis and vasculogenesis, liver disease, diabetes mellitus, and for regenerative ocular therapy, bone tissue engineering, and, of course, therapeutic applications in dentistry such as regenerative endodontic therapy, dentin regeneration, regenerative periodontal therapy, and bioengineered teeth. In this perspective, the French are using dental stem cells for bone regrowth while the Australians are experimenting dental stem cells for post stroke disability.

French Scientists are experimenting on dental stem cells for bone regrowth

One of the main limitations in bone regeneration is lack of vascularization within bone tissue. A new trial starting in France is aiming to use the dental stem cells of a simple and non-invasive tissue source such as dental pulp to develop a brand new pre-vascularized tissue-engineered bone construct. The dental pulp stem cells were isolated from the dental tissue of patients’ wisdom teeth and then used to assess their endothelial and osteoblastic differentiation to obtain pre-vascularized tissue engineered bone construct. Furthermore, one commercial differentiation medium is also used to evaluate its effect on the cell differentiation and production of a prevascularized bone construct.

Australian scientists are experimenting with dental stem cells to treat post-stroke disability

TOOTH (The Open study Of dental pulp stem cell Therapy in Humans), a clinical trial protocol, is an open study, phase 1, single-blind clinical trial being conducted by Australian researchers. The protocol is investigating the use of dental pulp stem cell therapy for stroke survivors with chronic disability, with the aims of determining the maximum tolerable dose of the cell therapy, and the safety and feasibility for patients with chronic stroke

 Is this Dental Stem Cell Teeth regeneration Technique Cost-friendly, Safe and Efficient ?

The technology behind the procedure has already been patented and Dr. Mao is now pursuing clinical trials. According to  the following source, currently, a single implant goes from 2,400 dollars all the way up 10,000 dollars depending on the complexity thereof.  (Source). Couple of years ago, these stem cell implants were expected to cost around $2500-3500. (10) I have not seen any recent price updates. Thus it would appear that this dental technique would be overall either cheaper or the same price as conventional implants. And without the ill effects of implants.

Furthermore, from the Clinical Trials that i read, this technology appears to be safe. And from the preclinical and animal studies that i examined, this technique also appears to be efficient and long lasting. In other words, there would be no need to replace the new tooth with another procedure, contrarily to most of today’s organ replacements.

How Do Stem Cell teeth Regeneration Procedures compare to Implant Procedures ?

Stem cell dental procedures would require post-op care as tooth extractions, but that does not appear to be expensive, especially if the patient uses holistic methods to make sure there is no infection (Eugenol rich clove essential oil being one of the best).

Comparatively, a stem cell implant would require only a local anesthetic only. Acupuncture or cannabis sedation could suffice. Up to the patient and the dentist to decide. Stem cell tooth implants would also be healthier and a more comfortable alternative to dentures. Unlike dentures, the newly developed teeth would move with the mouth, conserving the health of the gums. With this stem cell technique, the body’s meridian system would also be less perturbed, as would the nerves and pain receptors. In effect, drilling holes to screw implants in jaw bones can be quite invasive. The Stem cell technique would also help to avoid the patient’s mouth to experience metal galvanic effects and other inconveniences from metal implants.

When will this technology be available ?

Experimentation is still ongoing, but this teeth regeneration via dental stem cells technology is promising, perhaps operational in the US within two years and all the more so that there would not be the ethical concerns that embryonic stem cells can invoke.

We are still awaiting written response from Columbian dental school to get informed on the latest in terms of human clinical trials and clinical practice and when this technology would be available.

How can the viewer better understand this procedure

See Exhibits B for some diverse video explanations on the procedures that govern this technology. To grow a new tooth  with one’s own stem cells in one’s own tooth socket where the tooth will integrate with surrounding tissue in ways that are impossible with hard metals or other materials is indeed quite a medical revolution in the art of dentistry. It is much more holistic as a procedure than what allopathic dentistry offers, thus, the System of Things may delay clinical progress.

Discussion

Conclusion

Over 35 million Americans have lost all of their natural teeth from one or both jaws and about 178 million adults are missing at least one tooth, inter alia, according the American College of Prosthodontists. (12) These figures suggest that there is a “losing teeth” epidemic, because with proper eating and holistic living, teeth don’t normally fall out, Weston Price among others spent his adult years fixing and studying teeth all around the world and found near perfect teeth among indigenous elders who lived more holistically than today’s modern Westerner. Different studies have also shown that the absence or minimizing of teeth loss is a biomarker for longevity. (Source)

Many people with tooth loss opt for expensive implantation procedures. Commonly made of titanium, implants take as long as several months to heal and if the metal screw doesn’t fuse with the jaw over this time, it will fall out. Furthermore, titanium is not an innocent heavy metal, it can impact the body’s delicate fine-tuning. In effect, there are many problems with the implant industry, (13) all of which could disappear once this new dental stem cell technology is available to the public.

Furthermore, as we saw, human exfoliated deciduous teeth stem cells can also be used for other organs. Usually, the dental stem cells that are used for teeth regeneration come from the wisdom teeth, so it may be all the wiser to keep one’s wisdom teeth that their removal can precipitate excavation and infection problems.

What we have known for many years is that dental stem cell teeth regeneration therapy via injection consistently works with mice and rats. We also know that electro-medicine can spur the regeneration of teeth. I remember hearing in a conference the case of an elder lady who grew two new teeth as a result of getting zapped by lightning. Malignant tumors have also shrunk and even disappeared with a good zap from the Sky’s lightning.  This avenue, (but with more gentle zapping) should be better explored, including with laser and electro-acupuncture. Certain animals like sharks and crocodiles regenerate their teeth with stem cells continuously, on demand and without getting zapped by the Ocean’s thunder storms. When they get into a fight and lose teeth, new ones grow quickly back for the next round of sparring. Human boxers don’t have the DNA instructions to replicate this animal feat. So maybe they shouldn’t box, especially knowing that TBIs (traumatic brain injuries) trigger serious mental disorders. Today, despite the Industry’s inertia, inspired teeth experts have found a way to tweak a patient’s own dental stem cells to grow new teeth. Tentative conclusion: Holistically inspired human dental technology may have similar effects as Nature’s DNA with regard to crocodile and shark teeth regeneration. (*)

Christian Joubert (HMI director)

Exhibit A

Columbia University’s Teeth Regeneration Breakthrough

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER, NY, USA. Human molar scaffolding is a technique that directs the body’s stem cells into scaffolding that will assist in regenerating a new tooth. This innovation can immensely alleviate the need to go through the painful, expensive and tedious process of dental implants.

Exhibit B

On Dental Stem cell Research

Exhibits C

Clinical Trials

Ct Ending in 2020

Top: This Dog shows us his-her olfatory bulb receptors. These are connected to meridians that share similar energy pathways as teeth meridians. In biology, everything is connected to everything.

 Reference and Precision Notes

(1).  Keishi Otsu, Mika Kumakami-Sakano, Naoki Fujiwara, Kazuko Kikuchi, Laetitia Keller, Hervé Lesot, and Hidemitsu Harada (February 4, 2014). “Stem cell sources for tooth regeneration: current status and future prospects”. Frontiers in Physiology 5: 36.

(2).  Hill, David J. (2012-05-10). “Toothless no more – Researchers using stem cells to grow new teeth”. Singularity Hub. Retrieved June 16, 2014.

(3).  http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/tooth-regeneration-now-possible-with-new-stem-cell-research/#ixzz3yHaTt0UB

(4). Ibid.

(5).K. Kim, C. H. Lee, B. K. Kim, J. J. Mao. Anatomically Shaped Tooth and Periodontal Regeneration by Cell Homing. Journal of Dental Research, 2010 See also http://dental.columbia.edu/news/body-s-own-stem-cells-can-lead-tooth-regeneration. This study is published in the most recent Journal of Dental Research, a peer-reviewed scientific journal dedicated to the dissemination of new knowledge and information on all sciences relevant to dentistry, the oral cavity and associated structures in health and disease.

(6).  Young CS, Terada S, Vacanti JP, Honda M, Bartlett JD, Yelick PC (2002). “Tissue engineering of complex tooth structures on biodegradable polymer scaffolds.”. J Dent Res 81 (10): 695–700.

(7). http://www.dentistryiq.com/articles/2010/05/body-s-stem-cells.html

(8). Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2018 Feb;18(2):187-196

(9). Millions of teeth are accidentally and forcibly detached each year, especially causing losses of immature permanent teeth in children. This clinical trial is starting to recruit patients with immature permanent teeth and pulp necrosis. SHED will be used as the cell source for regenerating pulp and periodontal tissue in immature teeth.  Stem cell therapies have great potential to  cure currently untreatable diseases and to even extend lifespans. Due to their differentiating qualities, they have been used for novel regenerative protocols. Ongoing progress towards the clinical use of dental pulp stem cells has recently expanded the possibilities for clinical applications based on pulp and periodontal tissue regeneration. Dental stem cells are a kind of mesenchymal cell that reside within the dental pulp and are classified as postnatal stem cell populations.

(10). Mercury fillings have been amply shown to be toxic and carcinogenic as well as fluoride (also leading to osteosarcoma and lower I.Q.) while root canal’s anaerobic bacteria have frequently been responsible for cardio-vascular events, inter alia. The evidence, for another time.

(11). Op cit. Underground health report.

(12). The Data: “More than 35 million Americans are missing all their teeth in one or both jaws. 15 million people in the U.S. have crown and bridge replacements for missing teeth. 3 million have implants and that number is growing by 500,000 a year. 10 percent of all US dentists place implants but that is increasing. Implants performed by US dentists: The global prosthetic supplies market is projected to reach $4 billion by 2018.  The dental implant and prosthetic market in the U.S is projected to reach $6.4 billion by 2018. (Source)

(13) Dental implants is the most rapidly increasing area of dentistry, growing 15-20% every year. But just as with other dental procedures, there are major inconveniences and risks with this surgical dental procedure. It is  executed in stages and entails several procedures, many of which can be painful. Artificial implants carry many risks, from infection, to nerve damage, sinus and circulatory issues as well as the risks of general anesthesia. Furthermore, the healing process can  take up to 18 months and  the implants can refuse to align with the jawbone and end up falling out

(*). This article was written in January, 2016, but I have updated it, in particular Section C today, early 2018 .

Copyright (c) 2016. Happiness Medecine Institute and agents. All rights reserved

Disclaimer: Nothing in this educational blog should be construed as medical advise.

About Christian Joubert (Happiness Medicine Institute Director)

Christian is presently working on a new book on Holistic Medicine and Biogerontology, whose content invokes the compelling evidence that supports the following assertion: humans have been genetically designed to live a happy and healthy lifespan to at least 120 years. On this age limit, both evolution-based Science (Cf the Hayflick's limit) and the Bible (Genesis 6:3) concur. The “Joie de Vivre” Vibe that can eradicate today’s chronic disease epidemics and un-necessary suffering is thus within reach. See link on mission for more details.