Slashdot Mirror
Tooth Regeneration Coming Soon
Ponca City, We love you writes "For thousands of years, losing teeth has been a routine part of human aging. Now the Washington Post reports that researchers are close to growing important parts of teeth from stem cells, including creating a living root from scratch, perhaps within one year. According to Pamela Robey of the NIH. 'Dentists say, "Give me a root and I can put a crown on it."' In a few years dentists will treat periodontal disease with regeneration by using stem cells to create hard and soft tissue; they will take out a tooth that is about to fall, and reconnect it firmly to the regenerated tissue. Although nobody is predicting when it will be possible to grow teeth on demand, in adults, to replace missing ones, a common guess is five to ten years. Baby and wisdom teeth are sources of stem cells that could be 'banked' for future health needs, says Robey. 'When you think about it, the teeth children put under their pillows may end up being worth much more than the tooth fairy's going rate. Plus, if you still have your wisdom teeth, it's nice to know you're walking around with your own source of stem cells.'"
Screw growing back teeth, I want to know when we can have the genetically modified Streptococcus Mutans. Like 5 years ago, researchers announced they'd developed a strain of s.mutans (the bacteria responsible for most tooth decay) that doesn't excrete lactic acid. Once subjects' mouths were inoculated, the modified s.mutans completely took over, pushing the damaging strain out. Once inoculated you're theoretically 99% cavity free for the rest of your life. Is the ADA lobbying to keep it off the market because fillings and such are such a big money maker? Wouldn't surprise me.
If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
Less painful than some drilling, a filling or two, then later a root canal, or possibly repeated root canals if the first doesn't quite get it.
That's what she tells me and the rest of the team, too!
My girlfriend swears she likes the taste... I've decided I can accept that.
Give her a treat by drinking lots of pineapple juice or eating bananas or papayas. Also, lay off the red meat, alcohol, and coffee.
The fruits will make it sweeter while red meat, alcohol and coffee will make it bitter.
What will you do when she wants more than you can produce? She will suck you out!
Wheat germ can help you produce more.
The wisdom teeth are part of your permanent tier, they just erupt later. Back before we had good dentistry, it wasn't uncommon for an individual to be missing a tooth or two by the time they reached 25, and so when the wisdom teeth came in, they would rack in from the back and shift the others forward.
Now that tooth loss is uncommon, wisdom teeth are regularly extracted, since they're liable to become impacted if there isn't space (from missing teeth) for them to grow in.
And it's true that some people don't grow wisdom teeth. It's also true that some people only grow two, and some people grow six.
Don't blame me, I voted for Baltar.
Most people grow them twice! :)
No, you usually grow them once. After that, it's just a matter of them moving into place.
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
My dad is a dental lab technician (the guys who make crowns) and to hear him tell it, there have essentially been no advances in technology or manufacturing techniques. Yes, the materials are better and the process is apparently more streamlined, with better models to work from, but they are still mostly custom made, by hand. (When was the last time you had something custom tailored?) And the labor force that does this is apparently aging and not growing as fast as demand.
(This is my understanding based on what he's relayed to me. Any errors or misrepresentations are most likely mine, not his.)
There is more to growing a tooth than stem cells. You can't just plant teeth like seeds in dirt. It has to attach to the right blood supply and the right nerve. Teeth do not sit in bone; so you can implant them like titanium screws. They need a periodontal ligament which supports the tooth in the bone and allows it to flex. The ligament has to attach to the bone as well as the tooth. That is one reason they cannot transplant teeth or even move your own wisdom teeth to the first or second molar position in your mouth.
It will happen, but it will take a lot longer than any researcher is willing to concede.