Hydrogels for Oral Tissue Engineering: Challenges and Opportunities
Anfu Chen,
Shuhua Deng,
Jindi Lai,
Jing Li,
Weijia Chen,
Swastina Nath Varma,
Jingjing Zhang,
Caihong Lei,
Chaozong Liu,
Lijia Huang
Affiliations
Anfu Chen
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Shuhua Deng
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Jindi Lai
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Jing Li
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Weijia Chen
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Swastina Nath Varma
Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, London HA4 4LP, UK
Jingjing Zhang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Caihong Lei
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Chaozong Liu
Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, London HA4 4LP, UK
Lijia Huang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Oral health is crucial to daily life, yet many people worldwide suffer from oral diseases. With the development of oral tissue engineering, there is a growing demand for dental biomaterials. Addressing oral diseases often requires a two-fold approach: fighting bacterial infections and promoting tissue growth. Hydrogels are promising tissue engineering biomaterials that show great potential for oral tissue regeneration and drug delivery. In this review, we present a classification of hydrogels commonly used in dental research, including natural and synthetic hydrogels. Furthermore, recent applications of these hydrogels in endodontic restorations, periodontal tissues, mandibular and oral soft tissue restorations, and related clinical studies are also discussed, including various antimicrobial and tissue growth promotion strategies used in the dental applications of hydrogels. While hydrogels have been increasingly studied in oral tissue engineering, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed for satisfactory clinical outcomes. This paper summarizes the current issues in the abovementioned application areas and discusses possible future developments.