Stem Cells in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

"Stem cells are generally defined as clonogenic, undifferentiated cells capable of self-renewal and giving rise to 1 or more types of differentiated cell progeny". They are found in almost majority of the multi cellular organisms and are characterized by the ability to renew through mitotic cell division while maintaining the undifferentiated state. Stem cell therapy involves manipulation of the cells in vitro and using them for therapeutic purposes. The possible applications of stem cells are replacement and repair of tissues and organs. Replacement of oromaxillofacial structure is difficult, because functions such as facial expression, articulation, mastication, and swallowing are delicate and made of a complex anatomical structure formed from soft and hard tissues. Stem cells, biomimetic materials, and growth factors are essential to form these three-dimensional structures. Regeneration of oral and maxillofacial structures can be carried out using stem cell therapy that has gained momentum in the recent days.