Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can differentiate into specialized cell types and come from embryos and adult tissue. They have the potential for cell renewal and can differentiate into different cell lineages. Stem cells could potentially be used to grow new tissues and organs through tissue engineering, gene therapy, and implantology applications to repair damage from burns, periodontal disease, and other conditions. The mechanisms of oral tissue repair depend on the specific type of tissue, with enamel unable to repair but dentin capable of repair through scar tissue formation, and oral mucosa often healing without scars.

1. STEM CELLS
Repair and Regeneration of Oral Tissues

2. What are Stem Cells?
• Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated cells that
are able to differentiate into specialized cell types.
Commonly, stem cells come from two main sources:
• Embryos formed during the blastocyst phase of
embryological development (embryonic stem cells)
and
• Adult tissue
Both types are generally characterized by their
potency, or potential to differentiate into different
cell types (such as skin, muscle, bone, etc.).

3. Sources :
• Blood of the umbilical cord
• Adipose tissues
• Brain
• Skin
• Intestine
• Bone marrow
• Different parts of tooth ; the dental pulp, root
apical papilla, tooth germs

4. Properties :
• Stem cells are capable of cell renewal
• They have the potential to differentiate along
different cell lineages that include adipogenic,
cementogenic, neurognic, osteogenic, and
chondrogrnic cells

5. Organ and tissue regeneration
• Tissue regeneration is probably the most
important possible application of stem cell
research. Stem cells could potentially be used to
grow a particular type of tissue or organ if
directed to differentiate in a certain way. Stem
cells that lie just beneath the skin, for
example, have been used to engineer new skin
tissue that can be grafted on to burn victims.
•

6. • TISSUE ENGINEERING :
It focuses on the fabrication of new tissues to
replace damaged tissues and provides new
horizons for periodontal regeneration.
• GENE THERAPY :
Gene transfer, which is insertion of a transgene
into a host cell to achieve expression of
periodontal cell activity and regeneration
capacity.

7. • IMPLANTOLOGY :
Implantology have focused on creating new
generation of bioactive surfaces for improving
the integration, stability, and ensure clinical
performances of implant.

8. Mechanism of repair in oral tissues :
• The absence of ameloblasts prevents the repair of
enamel.
• Dentine is capable of repair with basic
mechanisms, but scar tissues that forms become
mineralized.
• The repair of dental supportive tissues depends on
the degree of damage.
• Oral mucosa has many similarities to skin and uses
the same principle of repair, wounds of oral
mucosa, especially the gingiva often heals without
the formation of scar tissues.