FAQ for StemSave

Why should my Patients cryopreserve their own dental stem cells?

• Healthy dental pulp contains stem cells that are among the most powerful stem cells in the body
  and replicate at a faster rate and for a longer period of time than other types of stem cells.
  Dental stem cells show great promise for future regenerative medical treatments of neurodegenerative
  diseases, heart disease, diabetes, bone diseases and brain and nerve injuries.
• The accessibility of teeth – which have otherwise traditionally been discarded or saved as
  childhood mementos – makes harvesting dental stem cells simple, convenient and affordable.
  There are no invasive surgical procedures involved and your Patients have several opportunities
  throughout their lives to have their dental stem cells recovered and stored, with the earliest
  opportunities being the best.
• If needed, using your own stem cells pose few, if any, risks for rejection following transplantation,
  and also eliminates the risk of contracting diseases from donated tissues.

When should my Patients cryopreserve their dental stem cells?

• Time is a critical factor for the recovery of healthy, viable dental stem cells; ideally, the cells
  should be recovered when the Patient is young and healthy. Dental stem cells are available
  several times during the course of a child’s natural dental maturation: the exfoliation of deciduous
  teeth, the extraction of bicuspids for orthodontic treatment, and third molars extractions.
• Although stem cells – like all other cells in the body – age chronologically along with the
  individual, adult Patients can also take advantage of the opportunity to recover their stem cells
  when undergoing a planned extraction of a tooth containing healthy pulp.
• The recovery of dental stem cells occurs during a regularly scheduled dental procedure. No
  additional procedures or appointments are required.

What if a Patient asks if the stem cells from a tooth that has already fallen out or is “hanging by a thread” can be cryopreserved?

• Only the dental stem cells from a tooth with a healthy blood supply can be recovered and
  cryopreserved, meaning that teeth that have already fallen out, or are so loose that the blood
  supply is no longer intact, are not candidates for cryopreservation. Fortunately, in the case of
  children, there will likely be more opportunities for dental stem cell recovery and preservation
  as they reach their adolescent and adulthood years.

Is an individual ever too old to cryopreserve their stem cells?