How difficult is it to obtain stem cells to bank for future use?
In the case of dental stem cells, the process is not at all difficult. In fact, it is easy. Healthy stem cells are discarded on a daily basis as the result of routine dental procedures (tooth extractions). The stem cells contained within the pulp of healthy teeth are the most easily-accessible stem cells that can be recovered. When compared to other types of stem cells and their corresponding methods of recovery (i.e., stem cells obtained from embryos, cord blood, bone marrow, adipose (fat tissue) and peripheral blood), obtaining stem cells from teeth is ethically uncontroversial, non-invasive, less dependent on timing and far less expensive. As opposed to stem cell recovery from cord blood, wherein there is one single opportunity immediately following the birth of a child, there are numerous opportunities to obtain stem cells from teeth. It is best, however, to recover and store dental stem cells at an early age. Those obtained from the extracted loose baby teeth of a healthy child an
