Cost of Banking Stem Cells from Teeth
By now you may have heard about stem cells and that teeth are a great source of mesenchymal stem cells. You may have even heard of dental stem cell banking and families finding it helpful to store their own child’s stem cells non-invasively when their child loses a tooth or has wisdom teeth extracted. It’s hard to argue against the benefits of storing stem cells from deciduous teeth (or baby teeth) as they are coming out anyway. So, why not store them for your child’s
Well, the biggest question is, what is the cost of banking stem cells from teeth? To answer that question, let’s first discuss the possibilities of dental stem cells and how a child can use them in their lifetime.
Dental Stem Cell Research
With all the emerging potential in tissue engineering using stem cells, a child’s loose baby tooth can provide vital mesenchymal stem cells that can be used in the future for cellular-therapies. These stem cells have shown incredible promise in the potential treatment of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, Type I diabetes, heart attack, stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, spinal injury and several others.
In the past, lost or extracted teeth have been viewed as medical waste and discarded, resulting in the loss of this potential life-saving resource. In the near future, stem cells from dental pulp may provide an effective treatment option for these debilitating disorders.
The stem cells from dental pulp may be one of the most promising cell-therapies in the future. Those who preserve dental stem cells do so, to feel at ease, knowing that those cells may have future uses that are extremely valuable.
But It’s Not All About Treating Conditions
It seems that the use of stem cells will be used to optimize wellness and prevent the onset of major health issues altogether. The most amazing work with stem cells right now is utilizing them for preventative medicine and improving overall health, wellness, and quality of life.
It’s no longer about treating conditions. It’s about preventing terrible diseases and conditions altogether. For those that store their own cells, these new cellular therapies and regenerative medicine advancements can pave the way to a future of health independence.
So, What Does it Cost?
Most parents realize the investment in tooth banking is a long-term approach. Also, unlike stem cells from cord blood banking (umbilical cord blood), the mesenchymal stem cells in teeth can be expanded and used for a lifetime. Therefore, purchasing a short-term storage plan option would be more expensive and defeat the purpose of investing in the first place.
Long term stem cell storage plans (typically 20 years) allow parents to have their child’s stem cells on hand as an insurance policy, and their own biological pharmacy “on demand” for regenerative and longevity benefits.
The investment in stem cell banking typically includes a tooth collection kit, tissue processing and confirming validity and sterility for future use. The actual investment for a 20-year storage plan can range greatly — from $2,000 – $5,000.
This broad range is based on the lab’s services, location, and the technology they are using.
What’s the Difference?
Most dental pulp labs perform a “Whole Tissue” validation process that confirms dental pulp is present in the tooth. At this time, this is the most common and widely adopted technology and process. However, there are more in-depth lab processes available. This technology involves isolating and culturing the cells found in the tooth’s dental pulp (before they are frozen in liquid nitrogen) to ensure there is a sufficient number of stem cells in the sample. This option is also a good choice if you’re considering using state of the art cellular therapies in the near future.
Still Affordable for Most Families
The great news is most companies offer interest-free payment plans, as well as multi-teeth and multi-child discounts — making this amazing opportunity to store YOUTH affordable for most families.
To learn more about the cost of banking stem cells from teeth and to determine which service and storage plan is right for you, please schedule a call with an OOTHY stem cell specialist here.