New Technique Quadruples Stem Cell Harvest From Third Molars

In a collaboration between the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ (UNLV) Mechanical Engineering Department and School of Dental Medicine’s Orthodontic Program, researchers have developed a new method for extracting root pulp from third molars that quadruples the number of stem cells that can be harvested for medical and dental therapies. The team devised a clamp dubbed the Tooth Cracker 5000 that allows the molar to be perfectly halved, providing immediate access to undamaged and uncontaminated root pulp. The particulars of the process of harvesting and preserving these cells were detailed in the paper, “The Effects of Cryopreservation on Human Dental Pulp-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells,” published in Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering.

In the study, investigators dyed 31 fractured-tooth pulp samples to highlight any viable stem cells the teeth contained (dead cells would turn blue when exposed to the dye, while living cells would appear clear). The authors report that 80% of the extracted cells remained clear. This represents a substantial increase from the 20% average viable pulp stem cell recovery rate using common extraction methods. “Saying the test results are promising is a gross understatement,” notes James Mah, DDS, MS, a clinical professor and director of UNLV’s Advanced Education Program in Orthodontics. “The potential applications for this technique are enormous.”