3D Organoids for Regenerative Endodontics

Area of Science:

• Dental science
• Regenerative medicine
• Tissue engineering

Background:

• Apical periodontitis, a microbial-driven inflammation, impedes root development in immature permanent teeth.
• Current understanding of cellular interactions and mediator roles in immature root apical periodontitis and healing is limited.
• Traditional 2D cell cultures inadequately represent the in vivo pulpal and periapical tissue complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the fundamentals of apical periodontitis and challenges in immature root regeneration.
• To explore cellular interactions, particularly mesenchymal stem cells and macrophages, in this context.
• To highlight the application of 3D cell culture models for advancing regenerative endodontics.

Main Methods:

• This narrative review synthesizes current knowledge on apical periodontitis and regenerative endodontics.
• It examines the limitations of 2D cell cultures and the advantages of 3D tissue constructs.
• The review discusses stem cell-immune cell interactions and the role of mediators in simulated environments.

Main Results:

• Three-dimensional (3D) tissue constructs offer a more physiologically relevant model for studying multi-cell interactions.
• 3D models facilitate high-throughput testing of stem cell-immune cell crosstalk and mediator roles.
• Well-designed 3D models are essential for understanding disease and healing for therapeutic optimization.

Conclusions:

• Understanding cellular dynamics in immature root apical periodontitis requires advanced models beyond 2D cultures.
• 3D tissue constructs and dental-pulp organoids represent promising tools for regenerative endodontics research.
• Further investigation into cellular interactions using 3D models will drive therapeutic advancements.