Paediatric endodontics Part 2: Pulp regeneration: current approaches

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Regenerative Medicine
• Endodontics

Background:

• Dental pulp regeneration seeks to restore damaged pulp-dentine complex.
• Regenerative Endodontic Procedures (REPs) represent a biologically-based approach.
• Current REPs focus on restoring physiological functions of the tooth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of current dental pulp regeneration strategies.
• To discuss the clinical applicability and limitations of existing REP approaches.
• To highlight the standard of care for specific dental conditions.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on dental pulp regeneration.
• Analysis of cell transplantation and cell homing strategies for REPs.
• Evaluation of factors influencing REP success, including tooth condition.

Main Results:

• Two primary clinical strategies for REP induction are cell transplantation and cell homing.
• The success of cell homing strategies is contingent upon the tooth's clinical and biological status.
• Root canal treatment remains the established procedure for mature teeth with necrotic pulps and closed apices.

Conclusions:

• Dental pulp regeneration is an evolving field with distinct clinical strategies.
• REP success is highly dependent on patient-specific factors and tooth condition.
• Further research may be needed to overcome limitations of current regenerative approaches.