The fundamentals of tissue engineering in the process of alveolar bone regeneration
Abstract
Bone has a natural self-healing ability through the interaction of osteoblasts and osteoclasts under physiological conditions. However, when defects exceed the critical size due to congenital anomalies,trauma, inflammation, periodontal diseases, tumor resection, or surgical interventions, alveolar bone regeneration becomes challenging. Autologous bone grafting is the gold standard for alveolar bone defects but has drawbacks such as donor site morbidity and infection risks. Allografts also pose challenges, including immune responses and limited bone formation. Tissue engineering presents an alternative, utilizing bioactive scaffolds, osteogenic cells, and growth factors to create a biomimetic environment that enhances regeneration. This review explores the fundamentals of tissue engineering and its application in bone reconstruction. It first discusses the key components of tissue engineering, including cells, scaffolds, and growth factors in bone tissue engineering. This is followed by an overview of their integration with recent advancements in 3D-printed scaffolds for alveolar bone regeneration.
