Tissue Characteristics in Endodontic Regeneration: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Endodontics
• Regenerative Medicine
• Dental Research

Background:

• Regenerative endodontic procedure (REP) is a viable treatment for immature necrotic teeth with periapical lesions.
• Current REP applications lack standardized success criteria, hindering consistent clinical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review human and animal studies on REP.
• To characterize the tissues generated by REP and identify success indicators.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science (Jan 2000-Jan 2022).
• Selection of 75 human and 49 animal studies.
• Analysis of clinical, radiographic, and histological data.

Main Results:

• Successful REP in humans correlated with asymptomatic teeth, apical lesion healing, and increased root dimensions.
• Animal studies revealed fibrous, cementum-like, or bone-like tissue formation within root canals.
• REP demonstrated tooth development and viability in both human and animal models.

Conclusions:

• REP effectively promotes healing and development in immature necrotic teeth.
• Further research is required to standardize REP protocols and fully restore dentin-pulp complex structure and function.