Scaffolds in Dental Tissue Engineering: A Review

Context: The major aim of tissue engineering is inducing of the body's mechanisms to regenerate damaged tissues to original condition and task. Scaffolds are 3D porous constructs which provide a cellular microenvironment needed for tissue engineering. Choosing a biomaterial with proper biological, physical, and mechanical properties is of great importance in tooth tissue engineering. Thus, the current study reviews the properties of different polymers and ceramics for use as scaffolds in tooth dental regeneration. Evidence Acquisition: The current study searched databases such as Elsevier, Wiley, Google Scholar, and PubMed in English from 1972 to 2018. After going through the required process, 29 articles were eventually confirmed and enrolled in this review paper. Conclusions: The results of this work confirmed that thanks to having the ability to provide suitable amounts of interconnected porosities, high ratio of surface area to volume, proper mechanical strength, and different geometries required for tissue engineering, polymers are a good option for regeneration of tooth tissues. Although bioceramics such as calcium phosphate and glasses have good biocompatibility and bioactivity, their poor mechanical properties and low degradation rate limit their extensive use in tooth tissue regeneration.