Biobanking in dentistry: A review.

Area of Science:

• Oral biology
• Biomedical research
• Biobanking

Background:

• Biobanks are crucial for collecting, processing, storing, and distributing biological samples and data for research and diagnostics.
• In dentistry, biobanked materials and data support large-scale studies on oral and systemic diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the diverse applications of biobanking in dentistry.
• To describe existing biobanked pathological and healthy oral samples and associated data.
• To discuss future advancements and systematic approaches for dental biobanking.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of biobanking applications in dentistry.
• Analysis of studies utilizing biobanked dental specimens and data.
• Identification of common practices like cryopreservation of dental pulp stem cells.

Main Results:

• Biobanked specimens have been instrumental in identifying genetic alterations in oral cancer and understanding dental caries mechanisms.
• Large-scale studies on facial pain have utilized biobank data.
• Oral soft and hard tissues, beyond teeth and pulp, are underutilized sources of healthy samples.

Conclusions:

• Biobanking is increasingly recognized and economically viable in dentistry, yet a systematic approach is lacking.
• Further exploitation of diverse oral tissues and data in biobanks can advance oral and systemic disease research.
• Standardized biobanking practices are essential for maximizing the potential of these valuable resources.