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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.'"
the irony is that the people who would benefit more from such advancement (the toothless poor who cant bite a beefjerk at the age of 21) will not be able to afford such treatment.
When are journalists going to learn that it takes 10 years to get from the lab to market? And when it comes to anything medical, add another 10 years for clinical trials.
How we know is more important than what we know.
...I'm glad that I've still got all four of my wisdom teeth! Sounds like they will be good insurance towards healthy teeth in my later years. Actually, I wonder if this biotechnology will spell the end to the "convenience" removal of wisdom teeth.
An embryo is not a fetus. But you can make up whatever "definitions" suit you...
I do apologize. You see, for me the differences between those terms are as important to me (while discussing the value of the individual life) as infant and toddler, or child and preteen, or adolescent and young adult.
When I'm trying to convince someone that saving a life is important, I forget about how much some people care about keeping perfect distinctions between adjacent stages of human development. I will try to avoid this from now.
Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure everything I just said is completely wrong.
Have you ever noticed that the state of restorative dentistry is progressing rapidly every day, but the state of the art in preventive dentistry is still brush and floss?
I'm no tin-foil hat guy, but this is one area I genuinely believe is being overlooked solely for the monetary benefit.
"The government grants you rights, not the other way around."-- beav007. Yes, these people really exist...