Stem cells: Milestone in regenerative dentistry

Stem cells offer an amazing potential for tooth homeostasis, repair, and regeneration. Manipulating dental stem cells in situ and expanding them ex vivo by using specific signaling molecules is an exciting outcome. Nevertheless, stem cell based tooth repair is not devoid of challenges that need to be solved prior to any clinical application. For example, it is crucial to identify the different types of dental stem/progenitor cells and their niches in teeth in order to understand the mechanisms that suppot stem cell survival. This knowledge will guarantee the success of stem-cell-based therapeutic approaches in dentistry.