Newer prospects of regenerative endodontics: A comprehensive and updated review of literature

Abstract

In pediatric dental patients, the management of nonvital immature teeth with undeveloped root in endodontic practice pose difficult and cumbersome clinical situations or challenges for the dental practitioners owing to the various factors, namely, the shorter root with thinner dentinal walls and the lack of apical closure make the affected tooth difficult to obturate conventionally and also make more vulnerable to root fracture. Conventionally, apexification and later apical barrier/plug endodontic modalities have been widely undertaken for such affected teeth. However, such treatment approaches have several intrinsic shortcomings such as uncertain long-term treated tooth prognosis. Since recent years, a biologically based therapeutic endodontic approach known as regenerative endodontic therapy has been or being extensively explored or studied to overcome the drawbacks of previous conventional treatment modalities and also to improve the long-term prognosis of the affected immature nonvital teeth in children and adolescents. Regenerative endodontics is a rapidly evolving subject and also a promising treatment modality for the scientific researchers and clinicians, respectively. Hence, the present article aims to comprehensively and critically appraise the recent literature pertaining to regenerative endodontic procedures. The relevant literature regarding the regenerative endodontics was searched in electronic databases. The articles were retrieved using Boolean operators with relevant keywords/Medical Subject Headings. The included relevant articles were critically appraised in the present review. The latest important aspects of regenerative endodontic have been described in a systematic manner for its better understanding and deeper insights for the general and pediatric dental professionals.