A Scoping Review of Recent Developments in Cellulose-Derived Hydrogels for Dental Applications

Application of cellulose-based hydrogels in dentistry has gained significant attention. They are emerging as novel biomaterials in the field of tissue engineering, regeneration, and drug delivery in dentistry. The objective of this scoping review is to highlight and summarize recent developments of cellulose-based hydrogels in their designs, reported applications, and laboratory functions. Methods: Between the periods of November 2014 and November 2024 (searches completed and datasets locked on 30th Nov 2024), the comprehensive electronic database search was performed in PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and MyEBSCO. All the studies that are related to cellulose-based and dentistry were included in this review. This review followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines for the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews. Results: Out of 518 entries found, 13 studies were qualified for inclusion. When comparative analysis of cellulose-based hydrogel-related studies was performed, most of the included studies were conducted in vitro, and they highlighted significant advancements in their functionality, their inert properties such as mechanical adaptability, design, bioactivity, biodegradability, and clinical potential. Conclusions: Cellulose-based hydrogels show great potential in regenerative dentistry, providing a biomimetic platform for tissue regeneration and drug delivery. Addressing present challenges and exploring pathways towards clinical translation will be critical to know their potential in the future. This review critically evaluates the strengths and weaknesses that are used in the current studies and thus, it provides a resource for future research directions for innovations in the field of regenerative dentistry and tissue engineering.