Role of Stem Cells in Orthodontics

Abstract

The field of tissue engineering involves the interdisciplinary application of principles of medicine, the biological sciences, and engineering toward the replacement or augmentation of a damaged or compromised tissue or organ. The purpose of this article is to highlight the importance of the use of tissue engineering in the field of Orthodontics. Tissue engineering and Orthodontics are two broad fields that share a common objective of applying scientific principles in association with existing best technology to restore the tissue function and esthetics. Both the fields have witnessed a significant surge in the technological aspect over the past century. The concept of tissue engineering has been used in Orthodontics for regeneration of the tissues in correcting the defects associated with craniofacial syndromes and temporomandibular disorders, root resorption, periodontal defects, in rapid maxillary expansion to aid in the stability of the achieved expansion , in Distraction Osteogenesis and in accelerating orthodontic tooth movement.