Noninvasive laser therapy ｜ 幹細胞讓蛀牙再生！ - Getting Closer to God's Voice 1985

蛀牙即所謂的「齲齒」，咀嚼食物後，食物殘渣遺留在牙齒表面的時間一長，細菌便會將食物殘渣發酵轉換為酸，而這種酸性的環境，造成牙齒表面的琺瑯質脫鈣，導致骨質密度的流失，加上琺瑯質本身存在許多細微的裂痕，細菌很容易順著這些裂痕入侵。

 

若沒有立即移除已經蛀牙的部分，細菌向下侵入經過牙質，恐感染到牙髓，進而演變成牙髓炎。目前最常見的蛀牙治療方式為齲齒填補（OD）與根管治療（ENDO），差別在於牙齒受損的嚴重程度。常見的填補物有銀粉、樹脂和嵌體，前兩者屬於健保給付的範圍。

 

根管治療根除牙髓和發炎的細胞，再灌入如橡膠似的填充物馬來膠（gutta percha），以封閉根管內空間，最後於牙齒開口補上樹脂再套上牙套保護，防止牙齒斷裂。上述治療方法都是靠外力將牙齒受傷部分移除，牙齒本身恐變得相對脆弱。

 

根管治療屬於破壞性的療程，而利用乳牙的牙髓幹細胞（hDPSC）植入的這種治療方法是使牙齒從內而外的修復。幹細胞在醫學上被認為具有醫治aging、遺傳因素或創傷的潛力。

讓牙齒起死回生的關鍵，是乳牙牙髓幹細胞。臺大牙醫專業學院臨床牙醫研究所的陳慧敏教授在〈牙齒再生—器官再生之實現〉撰文中提到，乳牙牙髓幹細胞可被引導分化為骨、軟骨、神經等，全部有機會應用在相關的骨再生、神經再生。

據羅徹斯特大學醫學中心（University of Rochester Medical Center）所發表的資料，幹細胞主要分為胚胎幹細胞（embryonic stem cells）及成體幹細胞（adult stem cells）兩大種類。

 

Can stem cells regenerate teeth? Can stem cells repair teeth? Is it possible to grow new teeth with stem cells?
A series of studies prove that stem cells have the potential to regrow tooth tissue,  which could provide an effective, natural alternative to fillings. (Reference: No more fillings – tooth cavities can be repaired by stem cells.) 

Scientists at King’s College London found that by plugging a cavity with an organic collagen sponge containing small amounts of a chemical know as GSK-3, they are able to protect the tooth from infection whilst giving the stem cells time to regrow the damaged tissue. (Reference: Promotion of natural tooth repair by small molecule GSK3 antagonists) 

Scientists used low-power light to trigger stem cells regenerating tissue. The research lays the foundation for restorative dentistry and regenerative medicine, such as wound healing and bone regeneration. 

Stem cell dental implants could grow new teeth In 2 months.  A research conducted by the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory of Dr. Jeremy Mao, Edward V. Zegarelli Professor of Dental Medicine, and a professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia University, believe that the body’s stem cells migrate to a three-dimensional scaffold made of natural material and placed in a patient’s mouth. In a nutshell, they believe that they could build a tooth much like you build a structure. The research was published in the Journal of Dental Research (JADA) in 2010. 

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#growth factor # dental stem cells

 

2018年八月刊登在《科學轉化醫學（Science Translational Medicine）》的研究宣布，乳牙的幹細胞能讓受傷的牙齒再生，即蛀牙有重生的機會。

經過治療後，牙根明顯增長（紅線），牙根尖（藍線）也同時癒合。（圖片《科學轉化醫學》）

 

#stem cell research # tooth loss # tissue ingrowth# growth factors # endogenous cells (中文:內源性細胞)