Stem cell responses in tooth regeneration

Scientific advances in the creation of restorative biomaterials, in vitro cell culture technology, tissue grafting, tissue engineering, molecular biology, and the human genome project provide the basis for the introduction of new technologies into dentistry. This review is intended to facilitate the development of stem cell therapy for use with established therapeutic modalities to restore and regenerate oral tissues. Teeth have been shown to mineralize in response to injury for many decades, but only in recent years has the position of the stem cells been localized around blood vessels. The cells have been identified as myofibroblastoid pericytes. The ability to control the differentiation and proliferation of these cells is being examined to create stem cell therapies that can solve dental problems more effectively than current treatment regimes. Although the problems of introducing these technologies are substantial, the potential benefits to patients and the profession are equally promising - a cure for caries and diseases, a cure for oral cancer, correction of congenital defects, and the regeneration of teeth and tissues to restore oral functions. The purpose of this review is to describe how these new technologies can most usefully be employed in dentistry to enable clinicians to satisfy patient demand for a nondefective dentition.