Tooth Regeneration Kaitlin Bramhall

American alligators have similar tooth structure to humans They can regrow teeth up to 50 times! How can scientists mimic this for humans? Background

Dr. Rena DSouza has studied using stem cells from wisdom and baby teeth to regrow teeth pulp Ping Wu and his team are trying to replicate how alligators regrow their teeth Studies… PNAS Journal - Ping Wu

Regenerating tooth pulp can put an end to root canal procedures Possible full tooth replacement, ending dental implants Could lead to more bone and tissue regeneration Benefits

50% of Americans have a cavity that can lead to a root canal by the age of 15 Root Canals Pain Level Age MildSevereIntenseUnbearable %18.2%50.0%0% %18.2%33.3% %31.8%16.7%66.7% %31.8%0% % 0%

Dental Implants: Painful Expensive Lots of risks Tooth Replacement Cosmetic Dentistry of SD

The possibilities are endless!!

DSouza, Dr. Rena. The Wall Street Journal. 2 July University of Utahs School of Dental Medicine. canals- scientists-aim-to-regrow-teeth-using-stem-cells/ (10 Nov. 2013). canals- scientists-aim-to-regrow-teeth-using-stem-cells/ Jafarzadeh, Hamid and Christopher Udoye. Pain during root canal treatment: an Investigation of Patient Modifying Factors. The Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice. July Wu, Ping. Specialized stem cell niche enables repetitive renewal of alligator teeth. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America.28 March Works Cited