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Medical Forum / General / Dentistry / January 2008The holy grail of dentistry?
Is this real? And could we see its practical application anytime soon (e.g., this decade)? http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2006/06/28/teeth-grow.html > Is this real? And could we see its practical application anytime soon (e.g., > this decade)? > http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2006/06/28/teeth-grow.html There's very little information there, but it's difficult to buy this. The enamel-forming cells are lost when the tooth erupts; the dentin-forming cells are lost when the pulp dies. That leaves cementum, which is ordinarily pretty soft. I'd need to hear a lot more about what is going on here. Steve >> Is this real? And could we see its practical application anytime soon >> (e.g., [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > ordinarily pretty soft. I'd need to hear a lot more about what is going > on here. Is this the first you've heard of it? I call it the "holy grail" because, if real, it could restore teeth and practioners could make money from it. (If you can't make money from it, who is going to spend time developing and offering it?). What could be sweeter? In any case, it still appears to be alive since there is another article from last year: http://www.ualberta.ca/~publicas/folio/44/09/02.html >> Is this real? And could we see its practical application anytime soon >> (e.g., >> this decade)? >> http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2006/06/28/teeth-grow.html Gets even more interesting. Here is another article, based on stem cell research rather than ultra-sound, that cites one of the same people in the other article. From the MIT Technology Review: http://www.technologyreview.com/Biotech/18216/ >>> Is this real? And could we see its practical application anytime soon >>> (e.g., [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > other article. From the MIT Technology Review: > http://www.technologyreview.com/Biotech/18216/ I'll look at these. I have heard of tooth induction using stem cells as a potential project. I commented at some point that it seemed to me that generating new teeth would be pretty far down the list of priorities for stem cell researchers looking for medical uses, but there may well be something about the technical aspects of actually doing it that might make it an easier project than some of the more obvious ones that are talked about--eg: brain cells involved in Parkinson's disease. Steve  SignatureMark & Steven Bornfeld DDS http://www.dentaltwins.com Brooklyn, NY 718-258-5001 > I'll look at these. I have heard of tooth induction using stem cells as a > potential project. I commented at some point that it seemed to me that [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > it an easier project than some of the more obvious ones that are talked > about--eg: brain cells involved in Parkinson's disease. Very good points. If you tested stem cells on regrowing teeth you have several built-in advantages: - it is less intrusive and progress would be easier to monitor - you could use as subjects people who are in otherwise good health - failures, while not happy, would be less catastrophic - finally, you could turn it into a business with revenues going to fund other areas of stem cell research. >> I'll look at these. I have heard of tooth induction using stem cells as a >> potential project. I commented at some point that it seemed to me that [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > - finally, you could turn it into a business with revenues going to fund > other areas of stem cell research. I wasn't even thinking of human subjects yet. You might risk it sooner in a potentially fatal condition (also, the FDA "fast tracking" mechanism for approval for human testing might apply). I'm sure it's easier to work with a relatively simple structure like a tooth bud rather than the brain. Steve > If you tested stem cells on regrowing teeth you have > several built-in advantages: > - finally, you could turn it into a business with revenues going to fund > other areas of stem cell research. It's hard to think of a scenario for that. More likely revenues would go into research on regrowing teeth. Maybe some general research organization could patent tooth-regrowing technology and license it to practitioners. That sounds kind of crooked though. When you compare the yearly numbers of extractions and root canals to the numbers of major organ transplants, it isn't hard to see that there will be a lot of money in regrowing teeth if it comes to be practical, and I expect it will. Of course any of this would tend to put the implant guys out of business. >> If you tested stem cells on regrowing teeth you have several built-in >> advantages: [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > expect it will. Of course any of this would tend to put the implant guys > out of business. Unless the implant guys branched out into that business. >>> If you tested stem cells on regrowing teeth you have several built-in >>> advantages: [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Unless the implant guys branched out into that business. yep
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