Frequently Asked Question
1. What are stem cells?
Stem Cells are a unique population of cells having two important properties:
a. Ability to give rise to a similar cell like itself
b. Ability to differentiate into other types of cells
2. What is Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative Medicine is an upcoming field of science, which uses the property of stem cell to differentiate into other types of cells which are used to treat diseases like spinal cord injury, liver diseases, cardiac diseases etc.
3. Where are stem cells found in the body?
Stem cells have been isolated from the umbilical cord, bone marrow, liver intestine, teeth etc.
4. What are Dental Pulp Stem Cells?
Isolated by Dr. Songtao Shi in 2003, dental stem cells are a population of stem cells that reside with in the pulp of the tooth.
5. From which teeth can Dental Pulp Stem Cells be isolated?
Dental Pulp Stem Cells can be isolated from:
a. Deciduous Teeth or Milk Teeth
b. Supernumerary Teeth or Extra Teeth
c. Permanent Teeth
d. Wisdom Teeth or the Third Molars
6. What is SHED?
SHED is Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth or the Stem Cells from your baby's Milk Teeth, which are extremely useful in Regenerative Medicine when compared with the other type of Dental Stem Cells.
7. Why do we need to store the Dental Pulp Stem Cells?
Stem Cells from Cord Blood and Bone Marrow have already been used in Regenerative Medicine to treat a diseases such as Spinal Cord Injury, Liver Diseases, Cardiac Diseases, Diseases of the Eye, Vascular Diseases etc. Similarly Dental Pulp Stem Cells can also be used to treat these diseases. Dental Pulp Stem Cells serve like an insurance to your child to treat his/her diseases in future.
8. What are the advantages of Dental Pulp Stem Cells?
They are minimally invasive readily accessable and non-Immunogenic and if used for the same donor in future. Parents who have failed to store the umbilical cord blood can use this opportunity to store these stem cells of your child's milk teeth to treat diseases in future.
9. How are these Dental Pulp Stem Cells stored?
The storage of stem cells from Cord blood and Bone marrow has been practiced since last two decades. After Cryopreservation the cells are viable, efficient and also been used for many diseases. However, stem cells from Dental pulp discovered in 2003. The recent research publication is proven that Dental Pulp stem cells are viable after 2 years cryo preservation. Still studies are undergoing to determine the long term preservation of Dental stem cells.
10. How do I store my dental stem cells or that of my kin?
a. Filling out the Enrollment form, Consent form and agreement form which are available online.
b.
Please make sure you make online payment for Collection kit using Debit/Credit or net banking.
c.
Once payment is through, the collection kit will be sent to the address provided in the enrollment form.
d. Once you receive the collection kit, all you have to do is place your baby's milk teeth in it according to the instructions given and send it to us.
E. After we receive your sample we will check for the viability and whether your baby's tooth is fit for isolation of stem cells and we will reply to you after which you can be assured that the stem cells of your baby's teeth is stored.
For assistance please contact smile@denscell.com for further information.
11.Within what time my sample should reach at DENSCELLS?
Samples should reach DENSCELLS Laboratory within 24-36 hours of your sample collection to get optimal viability.