Research & Leadership

great post Gavin!!

a couple of thoughts about oral cancer:

Every time I’m at the dentist, they check under my tongue and throughout my mouth to make sure there isn’t a “sneaky” cancer developing. It’s one of those quick examinations that can be easy to take for granted, but it really highlights the importance of early detection.

The few cases of oral cancer I’ve encountered were peripheral to my work—they were part of the medical histories of patients who were actually seeing me for their eye appointments. Unfortunately, the cases I saw were fairly dramatic. At least a couple of these patients had undergone extensive surgery, including procedures that appeared to involve removal of portions of the jaw, leaving significant changes to their appearance and speech.

As with so many health issues, early detection and being informed really matter. Knowing what to look for, can make a meaningful difference.

That seems to be the recurring theme of our BioImpact group: knowledge, awareness, and early action can have a real impact on outcomes.

This article makes me wonder and hope... Going back to the pulp therapy article you posted previously, if they can somehow find a way to regenerate a whole new tooth from stem cell regeneration of the enamel, dentin and pulp... You could possibly maybe perform immediate implantation of stem cell generated tooth after an extraction. You are literally replacing a old/broken tooth with a brand new one... A tooth transplant! Wouldn't that be something!!!

Thanks for sharing this! I found it especially interesting that medications used to treat osteoporosis can sometimes contribute to serious complications in the jaw, which really highlights how interconnected medicine and dentistry are. It also emphasizes the importance of communication between physicians, dentists, and patients before procedures like tooth extractions. As our population ages, I think prevention through good oral hygiene, proper nutrition, and regular dental checkups will become even more important in reducing these risks.

This could save many patients from needing root canal treatments or extractions/implants. I may have mentioned this before, but I always tell the patents to save your own tooth if possible. Implants are a great option but your own tooth is still better in my opinion even if RCT and crown is needed. Now, imagine if they can find a way to regenerate dentin and enamel layer along with pulp and be readily available and affordable. It would be life changing for many people.

This is one of the most fascinating examples of interdisciplinary medicine I’ve come across. 😅 The fact that a patient’s own tooth can be used as part of a procedure to restore vision really demonstrates how interconnected different areas of healthcare are. It also makes me wonder what other tissues or structures we currently view as serving a single purpose could have unexpected applications in regenerative medicine. As fields like dentistry, ophthalmology, tissue engineering, and AI continue to converge, I think we’ll see even more innovative treatments that challenge our traditional understanding of medicine.

One of the most compelling findings in this systematic review is what dCAS does for less experienced surgeons. Technology is literally closing the gap between a seasoned surgeon and someone earlier in their training. That has massive implications for patient safety and healthcare equity, especially in areas where access to highly experienced specialists is limited.

So what’s the catch? 🤔

Why does this matter for our BioImpact team?💡

This is the perfect example of what we talk about when we say technology and medicine are evolving together. Whether you’re interested in dentistry, surgery, biomedical engineering, or healthcare policy- understanding how tools like dCAS are reshaping clinical practice is part of being a well-rounded, forward-thinking healthcare professional.

Keep bringing these gems - this is exactly the BioImpact energy we love! 🙌

Thank you for the article Gavin. It would be life-changing for so many patients young and old if you can replace a missing tooth with your own biologically compatible tooth. I see many cases at my clinic where kids in elementary school ages extract their permanent first molars due to gross cavity (unrestorable), pain and/or infection. To answer the question below, even if this treatment option was available to the patients today, there are many facotrs patients consider before deciding on the final treatment plan. In my practice, one of the biggest deciding factor would be the out of pocket costs or whether their insurance would cover it. There are many patients that would rather extract their permanent tooth versus saving thier tooth if they have to pay out of pocket. Unfortunately this is the reality. Implants costs in the thousands now. I cannot imagine how much the lab grown tooth would be. I'm certain people would everything in their power to save their vital organs such as heart or brain. People have 32 teeth including wisdom teeth. Missing couple of molars are not life-alerting condition for many people. IF they can somehow make it affordable or same range as an implant, it would be a differenty story. Let's hope...