The body has the ability to heal itself. Stem cells and platelet-rich plasma promote healing and regenerate lost or damaged structures. Regenerative dentistry harnesses this healing power to improve growth and recovery.
Stem cells are undifferentiated biological cells that can be found in multicellular organisms (i.e. humans and other animals). Stem cells are one of three types: embryonic, adult, and induced pluripotent stem cells.
Adult stem cells are located in mature tissues where they are undifferentiated to the tissue type, i.e., skeletal muscle stem cells are capable of becoming skeletal muscle, cardiac or fat cells. The two most common sources of adult stem cells are bone marrow and dental pulp.
The use of stem cells in regenerative dentistry has become very popular; this is because they can be easily harvested, expand to provide many treatment options, and reduce the risk for complications (e.g., tumor development). Dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) have been used clinically to regenerate lost tooth structure and induce periodontal regeneration.
Dental pulp contains mesenchymal stem cells that can be collected from teeth that are removed due to trauma or infection. Unfortunately, the quality and quantity of pulp collected does not allow for widespread clinical use; these limitations can be overcome as techniques continue to improve.
Recovery and Cryopreservation
The recovery of stem cells from dental pulp is a relatively simple procedure that can be achieved by a dentist or periodontist. Wisdom teeth, primary teeth, and other permanent teeth such as those that are fractured for orthodontic reasons are all potential sources for stem cell recovery and cryopreservation.
The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in wound healing is a new and exciting advancement in the treatment of many different types of wounds, from chronic leg ulcers to recently burned skin. It has also been found to be effective in dental implant surgery for the regeneration of tissues after tooth extraction or during bone grafting.
PRP is created by taking blood from the patient’s arm and putting it in a machine that automatically separates the platelets from other blood components. The PRP is then injected into the required treatment area.
Wound healing is a complex process that involves inflammation, the proliferation of epithelial cells, and the formation of granulation tissue. PRP contains significant levels of platelets that are rich in growth factors such as PDGF, TGF-beta1, bFGF among others. These growth factors are involved in the wound healing cascade during the inflammatory and proliferative stages of the healing process.
Platelets release growth factors (PDGF, IGF-1, VEGF) which act on stem cells to increase collagen matrix production and fibroblast proliferation. Additionally, platelets release multiple chemokines that attract inflammatory cells to the wound site
Overall, PRP enhances bone and soft tissue healing and regeneration to become a great adjunct therapy in dental implants, sinus lifts, cleft repair, tooth extraction, and bone grafting procedures.
A subfamily of TGF contained in PRP is bone morphogenic protein (BMP) that has been shown to induce the new bone formation in research studies. This is of great significance to dental implant surgeons who can now add BMP to the implant site with bone substitute particles and help expedite bone growth.
Give us a call today at 817-927-1818 or fill out the form below to schedule an appointment. You’ll be happy you chose Facial & Cosmetic Surgery Fort Worth oral and facial cosmetic surgery needs.
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Give us a call today at (817) 927-1818 or fill the form below to schedule an appointment. You’ll be happy you chose Facial & Cosmetic Surgery Fort Worth for your oral surgery needs.