Background: Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) are regarded as an attractive cell source for tissue regeneration. However, the effect of different levels of root resorption on the characteristics of SHED remains less understood. Thus, the tooth source that is most suitable for the isolation of SHEDs needs to be determined. To compare cellular and biological characteristics of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous posterior teeth with varying levels of root resorption. Methods:The pulp was obtained from the deciduous posterior teeth depending on the level of root resorption, and isolated SHEDs were grouped as follows: Teeth with 0 to 1/3 rd root resorption as SHEDs (G1) and 1/3 rd to 2/3 rd root resorption as SHEDs (G2). Teeth were also collected from >2/3 rd root resorption status, but failed to establish primary culture of SHED as the availability of pulp tissue was too less. Later, isolated SHEDs were compared on their morphology, viability, growth kinetics, colony-forming ability, expression of cell surface markers and in vitro differentiation into osteocytes and adipocytes.Results: No major differences were observed in terms of cellular morphology, viability, proliferation rate, colony-forming ability, cell surface markers expression, and mesenchymal lineage differentiation of SHEDs isolated from posterior teeth with 0 to 1/3 rd and 1/3 rd to 2/3 rd root resorption. However, SHED from teeth with 0 to 1/3 rd root resorption (G1) displayed relatively higher proliferation capacity and expression of selected markers.Conclusions: Collectively, SHEDs (G1) and SHEDs (G2) showed comparable cellular and biological characteristics that enable their possible applications in regenerative therapies.

Background: Deciduous teeth undergo the physiologic process of resorption, during which the remnant pulp undergoes activation. However, the quality of stem cells obtained at various stages of root resorption has not been documented. Objective: To isolate and characterize stem cells from deciduous teeth with varying levels of root resorption. Study design: Healthy primary anterior teeth were extracted according to the treatment needs of the patient. The teeth were categorized into SHED(1/3)- teeth with 0 to 1/3rd root resorption, SHED(2/3)- teeth with 1/3rd to 2/3rd root resorption, and SHED(COMP)- teeth with more than 2/3rd root resorption. SHED were characterized based on their morphology, viability, proliferation rate, population doubling time, expression of cell surface markers, and in vitro differentiation potential into osteocytes and adipocytes. Results: SHED from all three groups demonstrated largely similar morphological and cellular characteristics. However, SHED(2/3) showed relatively better characteristics in terms of growth kinetics and phenotypic marker expression. Also, the differentiation ability for osteogenic and adipogenic cell lineages was slightly higher in SHED(1/3) and SHED(2/3) compared with SHED(COMP). Conclusion: Based on the cellular, phenotypic and biological characteristics, it is suggested that SHED (2/3) could be a useful source for tissue regeneration, and warrants further investigations.

A few decades ago, if one underwent a knee injury that makes walking painful or had an atrophied kidney, then, he/she was condemned to a life hooked on to machines, or on constant medications. However, in today’s era, teeth can be grown in a Petri dish; heart and liver replacements are possible with no risk of rejection because the organs are made of the patient’s own cells. This is the promise of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. The entire idea of regenerative medicine is based on the presence of stem cells in the body or the ability to introduce stem cells into the body without causing harm. These can be obtained from a variety of body and dental tissues. Deciduous teeth often discarded as biological waste is proven to possess Stem cells (SHED) that have promising applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Hence, their contribution toward the field of regenerative medicine and dentistry is immense. This chapter summarizes SHED’s regenerative potentials and therapeutic applications; and also focuses on its potential future scope in regenerative dentistry. Furthermore, procedures involved in SHED-induced therapy, from SHED collection to SHED banking, have also been explained.