Tissue Engineering in Maxillofacial Reconstruction: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract

Reconstruction of the hard and soft tissues of the face is a central focus of maxillofacial surgeons. Traditionally, the use of autogenous hard and soft tissue has been the gold standard in reconstructing congenital and acquired defects of this anatomical region. Tissue engineering, which is the delivering of cells, growth factors, and a scaffold to regenerate a target tissue, has given surgeons a reconstruction modality that is challenging the status quo. This chapter serves as an introduction to tissue engineering of the maxillofacial region. A review of autogenous bone grafting techniques is reviewed, as well as current methodologies of growth factory harvest and delivery. This culminates with a detailed description of the state of the art and future perspectives of maxillofacial regeneration.