Tooth loss is a growing problem worldwide. It has been estimated that about 26% of people lose all their teeth by the age of 74. Currently, the most popular, esthetic and durable option available to dentists is the dental implants. Extensive research had been going to find tooth replacement options which are closer to the natural teeth. What could be natural than growing your own teeth?

Recently, a breakthrough research study has indicated the possibility of growing natural teeth by using stem cell technology.

Stem Cells for Growing Missing Natural Teeth; Is it Really Possible?

A research study published in the reputed Journal of Dental Research has discussed the possibility of using a new tissue engineering technique for growing a brand-new natural tooth by using relevant stem cells. Dr. Jeremy Mao and his team at the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory have used stem cells to redirect the growth of natural teeth and their surrounding struct

ures.

This was done by using a three-dimensional scaffold which was made from safe and natural materials. Dr. Mao’s technique involved the preparation of rat incisor shaped and human molar-shaped three-dimensional scaffolds. The incisor scaffolds were introduced into the extraction pockets created in the mandibular incisor region, while the human molar scaffolds were introduced into to dorsum.

Afterward, two growth factors were introduced into the scaffold, and the growth patterns were observed over time. After the passage of nine weeks, the scientists could see the development of the periodontal ligament, alveolar bone in the rat incisor scaffolds. Similarly, in the molar scaffolds, periodontal tissue growth and integration was obs

erved.

This is huge! Previously, scientists could only grow natural teeth in a petri dish, in a laboratory. But with this research, the dream of growing natural teeth in a short span of time has now become a reality, and that too at the dental chairside.

So, what does this Stem Cell Technology Mean for the Dentists?

No doubt, this new technique for fabricating natural teeth inside the oral cavity offers a superior alternative to the dental implants and other prosthetic tooth replacement options. If it can be implemented clinically, it will create a breakthrough as to how dentists replace missing natural teeth. Despite this, there are few things which dentists need to consider:

• It’s Just the Beginning – although promising, this technique is just at the research level. There is a lot of testing and further research required before natural teeth can be grown by using the stem cells. Therefore, we can’t expect this technology to be available for tooth replacement at the dental clinics anytime soon! So, this technology is of no benefit to the dentists unless it can be introduced commercially in the market for tooth replacement, which will at least a few years, if not a decade before that happens.
• This Technology May be Very Expensive – whenever this technology will hit the markets, we can naturally expect it to be quite expensive; rather much more expensive than the dental implants. Therefore, this technology may not be affordable by most of the dental patients. As dentists, we have to find a balance between the innovation and quality of treatment, its cost as well its profit margin for their practice. Therefore, unless this technology becomes as cost-effective as the implants, it may not be picked up by the dentists anytime soon.

So, now we know that the natural teeth prepared from the stem cell technology are not coming to general dental practice anytime soon. Therefore, we can expect the dental implants to reign over prosthetic dentistry for the foreseeable future. As dentists, this means that you still need to rely on the dental implant technology for replacing missing teeth of your patients.

Dental implants are by far, the best currently available option for replacing teeth. So, if you’re looking for the best dental implants for your practice, GP implants should be your first choice. Here are a few reasons for you:

GP implants have a proven track record of manufacturing high-quality dental implants which have been backed with authentic research. GP implants also have a fully functional, 24-hour operational in-house manufacturing facility which is being overseen by a dedicated quality assurance (QA department). This means that each implant you will buy from us will have gone through extensive, research, testing and quality control.

Not only this, our implants are specifically designed while keeping the convenience and ease of the dentists. GP implants offer implants which are based on two connections; the internal and the conical hex. Moreover, our implants are designed while ensuring that one platform can be used with all types of prosthetic systems. Therefore, dentists can use a single prosthetic line for each implant platform system.

Finally, GP implants also offer surgical kits which are compatible with all types of implant systems. We also offer surgical kits over a wide range; from basic to very complex surgical instruments.

All these factors combined; GP implant products offer a success rate of 99.6%. What more can you ask for?

So, if you want your patients to have esthetically pleasant, long-lasting and fully functional implant-supported teeth, then your best bet is to use the GP implants until the GP implant technology becomes commercially available.