Biomaterial-Driven Approaches in Dentin Tissue Engineering: An Updated Review

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Abstract
The contemporary management of dentin injuries has progressively shifted from approaches based solely on reparative mineralized barrier formation toward biologically guided strategies that preserve pulp vitality and promote endogenous regeneration. This paradigm change has driven the development of bioactive biomaterials capable of modulating the dentin–pulp microenvironment rather than serving exclusively as passive sealing materials. This review critically discusses recent advances in biomaterial-based approaches for dentin tissue engineering, emphasizing naturally derived polymeric scaffolds, nanofibrous membranes, injectable hydrogels, microsphere-based delivery systems, and three-dimensional (3D)-printed scaffolds. The biological mechanisms by which these platforms regulate inflammation, recruit endogenous progenitor cells, stimulate angiogenesis, direct odontoblast-like differentiation, and promote extracellular matrix deposition are highlighted. Particular attention is given to the sequential development of mineral-functionalized nanofibrous scaffolds, from the selection of calcium hydroxide and nano-hydroxyapatite as bioactive phases to the incorporation of fibronectin and, subsequently, the flavonoids quercetin and hesperetin to combine odontogenic signaling with immunomodulation. Emerging concepts, including immunoinstructive biomaterials, cell-homing strategies, smart hydrogels, and biofabrication technologies, are discussed in the context of their translational potential for vital pulp therapy. Rather than focusing exclusively on recreating the native tubular architecture of dentin, current regenerative strategies increasingly seek to restore pulp homeostasis and establish biological conditions that enable predictable reparative dentinogenesis. Collectively, these advances position biomaterials as active regulators of tissue regeneration and provide a framework for next-generation therapies aimed at preserving pulp vitality and improving the long-term outcomes of dentin regeneration.
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