Marcus Medical Spa Offers service that will be useful for Future Medical Treatments
Can a routine trip to the dentist prove to be a life-saving matter? For patients of Michael Fulbright, DDS, co-founder of Marcus Medical Spa in Redondo Beach, the answer may be “yes” as he is among the first dentists in the nation to offer a new service that recovers and preserves powerful dental stem cells. Only recently have regenerative medical researchers looked to human teeth as ideal sources for stem cells, which are widely used in treating leukemia and heart disease. Until now, stem cells could only be retrieved from umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid and bone marrow.
According to Fulbright, dental stem cells are found only in healthy teeth (those with a blood supply) such as wisdom teeth and those that must be pulled for orthodontic work. He said that young patients, in particular, are excellent candidates for banking their stem cells since they are usually undergoing such extractions.
“I’m proud to be part of this revolution in dentistry that may have very life-saving consequences for our patients,” said Fulbright, who owns and operates Marcus Medical Spa with his wife, Molly, and Keith Marcus, M.D. “It is believed that the stem cells found in teeth will be valuable for a wide range of uses from restoring nerve and muscle tissue to rebuilding bone and cartilage.”
Stem cells are the basis for the emerging field of regenerative medicine with scores of clinical trials underway including one where stem cells are being used to treat soldiers wounded in action. Current research suggests that stem cell therapies may one day treat diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, muscular dystrophy, cancer and many more.
Fulbright said that the process begins when a healthy tooth is extracted. He simply places it in a vial and sends it immediately to StemSave, a company that specializes in long-term preservation.
The cost to preserve dental stem cells is $100 per year.
Fulbright Dental is a dental practice encompassed under the roof of Marcus Medical Spa and is located at 1815 Via El Prado, Redondo Beach, CA. Call (310) 593-2137 or visit www.fulbrightdental.com for more information.
