Bone Using Stem Cells for Maxillofacial Bone Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Biomaterials Science
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Background:

• Maxillofacial bone disorders present a global health challenge with varying prevalence.
• Effective regeneration strategies are crucial for treating these complex conditions.
• Stem cell-based scaffolds offer a promising therapeutic avenue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To meta-analyze the efficacy and safety of stem cell-based scaffolds for maxillofacial bone regeneration.
• To evaluate different scaffold types and construction methods.
• To identify optimal approaches for bone tissue engineering in the maxillofacial region.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane) up to July 2021.
• Inclusion of 32 articles encompassing 643 animal studies and 4 human patient studies.
• Meta-analysis of pooled data to assess outcomes of stem cell-based scaffold interventions.

Main Results:

• Stem cell-based scaffolds significantly enhanced bone regeneration and formation in maxillofacial defects (Prevalence: 0.54; P < 0.00001).
• Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are the most utilized and effective cell source.
• Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), particularly BMP2, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are key growth factors and scaffolds.

Conclusions:

• Stem cell-based scaffolds are a viable and effective treatment for maxillofacial bone disorders.
• BMSCs represent the current gold standard in this field.
• Future directions include rapid prototyping of patient-specific scaffolds using advanced imaging and genetically modified stem cells.