Maya Indurkar

Tissue engineering in periodontics is now well within reach. It is the complex interplay of cells such as osteoblasts, cementoblasts and fibroblasts, scaffolds - collagen, hydroxyapatite, synthetic material etc interwoven with the action of mediators such as growth factors, differentiation factors and adhesion molecules, in appropriate sequence and quantities that result in successful tissue generation. The future holds many a promise, with the rapidly expanding fields of stem cell research and tissue engineering converging to form the new discipline of regenerative medicine, the aim of which is to restore normal function to organs and tissues that do not function properly as a result of disease, traumatic injury or birth defects. Some regenerative medicine strategies using stem cells are already in the clinics, but most are still at the bench or animal testing stages. There exist many challenges that must be met for this new field to reach its potential application.