Polymeric Scaffolds Used in Dental Pulp Regeneration by Tissue Engineering Approach

Abstract

Currently, the challenge in dentistry is to revitalize dental pulp by utilizing tissue engineering technology; thus, a biomaterial is needed to facilitate the process. One of the three essential elements in tissue engineering technology is a scaffold. A scaffold acts as a three-dimensional (3D) framework that provides structural and biological support and creates a good environment for cell activation, communication between cells, and inducing cell organization. Therefore, the selection of a scaffold represents a challenge in regenerative endodontics. A scaffold must be safe, biodegradable, and biocompatible, with low immunogenicity, and must be able to support cell growth. Moreover, it must be supported by adequate scaffold characteristics, which include the level of porosity, pore size, and interconnectivity; these factors ultimately play an essential role in cell behavior and tissue formation. The use of natural or synthetic polymer scaffolds with excellent mechanical properties, such as small pore size and a high surface-to-volume ratio, as a matrix in dental tissue engineering has recently received a lot of attention because it shows great potential with good biological characteristics for cell regeneration. This review describes the latest developments regarding the usage of natural or synthetic scaffold polymers that have the ideal biomaterial properties to facilitate tissue regeneration when combined with stem cells and growth factors in revitalizing dental pulp tissue. The utilization of polymer scaffolds in tissue engineering can help the pulp tissue regeneration process.

Evolving Strategies and Materials for Scaffold Development in Regenerative Dentistry

“…Hybrid scaffolds, which combined natural and synthetic materials, emerged as a promising approach. These scaffolds offered the biocompatibility and biodegradability of natural materials with the tunable properties of synthetic polymers [18,19].…”

Hydrogel-Forming Microneedles with Applications in Oral Diseases Management

“…It was demonstrated that tooth fragments filled with these nanofibers produced pulp-like tissue in vivo. In dentistry, this type of scaffold, in MN/MN patch presentation, could aid regeneration beyond the pulp revascularization [ 75 ].…”

Bone Regeneration with Stem Cells from Dental Pulp in a Rat Experimental Model

“…Among other aspects, this reduces the morbidity of other treatments, such as surgery. The availability of biomaterials with an appropriate physical structure, adhesion potential, and cell proliferation, plays an influential role in the regeneration and repair of bone tissue [9][10][11], with a crucial factor being the advanced state of knowledge on stem cells [12][13][14] and on the growth factors that favor the differentiation and acceleration of these processes [15,16]. 2 Given the scarce bioavailability of autologous grafts, the low osteoinductive capacity of xenografts appears to be the ideal solution.…”