In vivo and immunohistochemical study of dentin and pulp tissue regeneration in the root canal

Talaat Abo Hatab, Nabil Kochaj

Abstract

The ultimate goal of endodontics therapy is the regeneration of tooth supporting tissues. This case study evaluated whether the transplantation of autologous dental pulp stem cells with chitosan scaffold into pulpless root canals could mediate pulp regeneration in human mature teeth. The dental pulp stem cells isolated from the patient`s pulp tissue. The cells were then seeded onto a chitosan scaffold and then transported into the root canal of the patient. After eight weeks the tooth was extracted and prepared for histological and immunohistochemical examination in purpose to identify the nature of tissues formed in the canal space. After endodontic regeneration procedures, pulp-like tissue characterized by the presence of odontoblast-like cells aligning dentin-like hard tissue was observed. This is the first clinical and histological evidence in the dental literature that shows that pulp and dentin like tissue can be generated in a human tooth using dental pulp stem cells.