Commitment of Oral-Derived Stem Cells in Dental and Maxillofacial Applications

The review explored the potential of oral-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for dental and maxillofacial applications, emphasizing their ability to differentiate into bone tissues. It highlighted the high plasticity of MSCs from the oral cavity, such as dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and stem cells from human periapical inflamed cysts (hPCy-MSCs), towards bone, vascular, and neural phenotypes. These cells showed promise in tissue regeneration and immunomodulation, with clinical procedures using MSCs and biomaterials for bone regeneration in dental procedures being examined. The review also noted the reduced ethical concerns associated with hPCy-MSCs and suggested that these cells could be strategic tools for future MSC-based therapies in regenerative dentistry. Ongoing clinical trials and future research were deemed necessary to further understand their potential and transition findings to clinical practice.