Getting your Wisdom Teeth removed? Don’t throw them out – those stem cells could be lifesavers!

Many know that deciduous teeth are an excellent source of stem cells. But did you know that wisdom teeth are an excellent source as well? According to the National Dental Pulp Laboratory, if you are having your wisdom teeth extracted, it is an excellent time to bank dental stem cells, since they are typically extracted at a younger age, and usually removed in healthy condition. Unfortunately, they usually get discarded into bio-hazard. So, those wisdom teeth you’re having taken out….don’t throw them out! The stem cells inside may be used in the future to address a wide range of conditions, and are at the forefront of the medical revolution of regenerative medicine.

Parents: there is a very good chance that your child’s banked dental pulp stem cells from their extracted wisdom teeth will one day be useful in the treatment of diseases and conditions that may affect them in the future. Doctors and researchers are working around the clock to discover new therapies and applications for restoring and renewing human tissues with these remarkable cells.

Wisdom teeth are the 3^rd set of molars that usually erupt between the ages of 17 and 25, though they may continue to grow until around age 30. Wisdom tooth removal typically occurs when multipotent dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are are at the peak of their viability—between the ages of 13-24. These molars erupt just behind the 2^nd set of molars, also called 12-year molars. Sometimes it is normal for the wisdom teeth to be congenitally missing or to even develop extra teeth in the area.

Proponents of the procedure say that it makes much more sense to harvest and bank the best stem cells for use in future medical therapies through one simple and non-invasive wisdom tooth extraction procedure.  These powerful DPSCs are prized by stem cells scientists for their ability to regenerate and repair connective tissue, bone, dental tissue, vital organs, and nerve tissue.