Development of a mouse model for pulp-dentin complex regeneration research: a preliminary study

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Dental Research

Background:

• Pulp-dentin complex regeneration requires robust in vivo models for evaluating treatment efficacy and safety.
• Mice are ideal for stem cell research, but their small teeth hinder pulp regeneration studies.
• Large animals are typically used due to tooth size limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the suitability of the mouse tooth as a transplantation model for pulp-dentin complex regeneration research.
• To demonstrate the utility of mouse teeth in in vivo orthotopic transplantation studies.

Main Methods:

• Pulp exposure was performed on 7-week-old male ICR mice (n=35).
• Mice were sacrificed at intervals from 1 to 14 days post-exposure.
• Samples underwent decalcification, microtome sectioning, and H&E staining for microscopic analysis.

Main Results:

• Pulp tissue below the chamber orifice showed normal appearance for up to 1 week.
• Inflammatory and necrotic changes were observed in the coronal pulp and root canals after 1 week.
• Complete necrosis of root canal tissue was evident by day 14.

Conclusions:

• The mouse tooth model exhibits rapid pulp necrosis, limiting its utility for pulp-dentin regeneration studies.
• This model may not be suitable for evaluating long-term regenerative therapies.
• Further research may be needed to adapt mouse models for specific regenerative approaches.