The recent discovery of mesenchymal stem cells within periapical lesions (PL-MSC) has presented novel opportunities for managing periradicular diseases in adult teeth by way of enhancing tissue regeneration. This discovery coincides with the current paradigm shift toward biologically driven treatment strategies in endodontics, which have typically been reserved for non-vital immature permanent teeth. One such approach that shows promise is utilizing local endogenous non-collagenous dentine extracellular matrix components (dECM) to recruit and upregulate the intrinsic regenerative capacity of PL-MSCs in situ. At picogram levels, these morphogens have demonstrated tremendous ability to enhance the cellular activities in in vitro and in vivo animal studies that would otherwise be necessary for periradicular regeneration. Briefly, these include proliferation, viability, migration, differentiation, and mineralization. Therefore, topical application of dECMs during ortho- or retrograde root canal treatment could potentially enhance and sustain the regenerative mechanisms within diseased periapical tissues that are responsible for attaining favorable clinical and radiographic outcomes. This would provide many advantages when compared with conventional antimicrobial-only therapies for apical periodontitis (AP), which do not directly stimulate healing and have had stagnant success rates over the past five decades despite significant advances in operative techniques. The aim of this narrative review was to present the novel concept of exploiting endogenous dECMs as clinical tools for treating AP in mature permanent teeth. A large scope of literature was summarized to discuss the issues associated with conventional treatment modalities; current knowledge surrounding PL-MSCs; composition of the dECM; inductive potentials of dECM morphogens in other odontogenic stem cell niches; how treatment protocols can be adapted to take advantage of dECMs and PL-MSCs; and finally, the challenges currently impeding successful clinical translation alongside directions for future research. Impact statement Apical periodontitis (AP) is an inflammatory condition that is associated with a great degree of morbidity and ultimately leads to tooth loss. The purpose of this review was to summarize the current evidence pertaining to stem cell therapy in endodontics and present a novel clinical methodology through which they may be utilized to address AP. A comprehensive overview of the basic science, clinical translation, and potential challenges are presented in this review.
Keywords: dentine extracellular matrix components; endodontics; regenerative medicine; stem cells; tissue regeneration; wound healing.