Noncoding RNA networks in endodontic regeneration: Current evidence and future directions

This narrative review provides a consolidated existing literature on regulatory functions of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long ncRNAs, and circular RNAs (circRNAs) in pulp-dentin complex regeneration.

A background search was implemented utilizing data from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to determine research conducted between January 2010 and April 2026. In particular, studies focused on experimental in vitro studies, animal models, clinical molecular investigations, and transcriptomic analyses related to dental pulp stem cells and regenerative studies. Relevant conceptual reviews were also used to help explain mechanisms.

Research indicates that ncRNAs act as master regulators influencing stem cell differentiation, new blood vessels formation and generating a layer of hard tissue such as dentin, primarily through the competing endogenous RNA networks of epigenetic changes and posttranscriptional regulation of genes. The development of transcriptomics of individual cells has revealed cellular diversity and complex regulatory interactions during pulp injury and recovery. Recent animal studies and clinical molecular investigations have revealed that miRNAs bound to exosomes and circRNA-mediated regulatory circuits can improve pulp-dentin regeneration and also function as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic objective.

ncRNAs serve as an essential regulatory tier in regenerative endodontics that connects molecular biology into clinical translational. The combination of multiomics analyses along with biomaterial-based delivery systems can lead to precision, mechanism-driven regenerative therapies and may also transform future endodontic treatment modalities.