Advances in scaffolds used for pulp-dentine complex tissue engineering: A narrative review

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Dental Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Pulp-dentine complex regeneration aims to replace necrotic pulp tissue using tissue engineering.
• Scaffold design and fabrication are critical for successful pulp-dentine complex regeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in scaffold design and fabrication for de novo pulp-dentine complex regeneration.
• To analyze different scaffold classes, their properties, and their role in regenerative endodontics.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Europe PMC, Scopus, and Google Scholar.
• Inclusion of in vitro and in vivo studies on bioengineering techniques for pulp-dentine complex regeneration.
• Exclusion of clinical studies.

Main Results:

• Four main scaffold classes were identified: bioceramic-based, synthetic polymer-based, natural polymer-based, and composite scaffolds.
• Analysis of recent advances, advantages, and limitations in scaffold design and fabrication.
• Discussion on the importance of vascularization for successful regeneration and strategies to achieve it.

Conclusions:

• Scaffolds are essential for cell support, proliferation, and differentiation in tissue engineering.
• Significant progress has been made in fabricating diverse scaffolds for pulp-dentine complex regeneration.
• Further research is needed to develop ideal scaffolds for clinical application in regenerative endodontics.