The impact of tissue engineering on dentistry.
BACKGROUND
Tissue engineering is a novel and highly exciting field of research that aims to repair damaged tissues as well as create replacement (bioartificial) organs.


BACKGROUND
The authors provide a general review of the principles underlying key tissue engineering strategies, as well as the typical components used. Several examples of preclinical and clinical progress are presented. These include passive approaches, such as dental implants, and inductive approaches that activate cells with specific molecular signals.


CONCLUSIONS
Tissue engineering will have a considerable effect on dental practice during the next 25 years. The greatest effects will likely be related to the repair and replacement of mineralized tissues, the promotion of oral wound healing and the use of gene transfer adjunctively.
Baum
B J
BJ
Gene Therapy and Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. 20892, USA.
Mooney
D J
DJ
D000818:Animals; D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000639:trends*; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000639:trends; D004990:Ethics, Dental; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D013674:Technology, Dental / Q000639:trends*