Current approaches and challenges in making a bio-tooth

Tooth loss adversely affects not only mouth functions but also the esthetics of one's face. To repair these defects, current treatment methods mainly depend on nonbiological materials or artificial implants that also can, sometimes, reduce the quality of life because of their limited physiological function, or elicit an immunological rejection. Theoretically, a biological tooth (bio-tooth) that is made from the patient's own cells and grows in its intended location should be the best choice for treating tooth loss, although such bioengineered teeth have been nothing more than a dream for many centuries. Recently, significant advances in the fields of tissue engineering, stem cell biology, developmental biology, molecular genetics, and bionics have brought us close to the realization of a bio-tooth. However, issues involving in the reconstruction of a bio-tooth regarding the shape determination, size control, availability of dental epithelium, directional growth and eruption, and graft rejection in the jaws remain to be resolved. Here, this review outlines the current approaches toward the tooth regeneration, and focuses on several key challenges that must be met in the making of a bio-tooth.