Endodontic Regeneration Therapy: Current Strategies and Tissue Engineering Solutions

Abstract

With increasing life expectancy and an aging population, the demand for dental treatments that preserve natural teeth has grown significantly. Among these treatments, endodontic therapies for pulpitis and apical periodontitis play a vital role, not only in keeping occlusal function, but also in preventing the exacerbation of systemic diseases. Both pulpitis and apical periodontitis are primarily caused by infections of the oral pathobiont within the root canal, leading to inflammation and destruction of the pulp, apical periodontal tissue, and bone. Standard root canal therapy aims to remove the infection source and facilitate natural tissue healing through the body’s regenerative capacity. However, challenges remain, including limited tooth functionality after complete pulp removal in pulpitis and insufficient recovery of the large bone defect in apical periodontitis. To address these limitations, endodontic regenerative therapies have emerged as promising alternatives. Pulp regeneration therapy seeks to restore the functionality of dental pulp, while bone regeneration therapy aims to repair and regenerate large bone defects affected by apical periodontal tissue.