Principles, Applications, and Technology of Craniofacial Bone Engineering

Abstract

Currently, there are increasingly urgent demands for various biom�dical bone implants to repair craniofacial bone defects, damages caused by bone fractures, bone cancer, infections, and other injuries. However, conventional tissue replacement, such as autografts and allografts cannot meet the quantity and performance needed, and remain an issue of legitimate concern which could lead to patient dissatisfaction. Treatments directed to enhanced bone healing and restoration of function benefit from the effort of tissue engineering strategies that combine the three main components of natural bone: cells, growth factors and scaffold. Increasingly, experimental evidence supports the notion that stem cells can adjust their properties according to their surrounding and select specific lineages according to the cues they receive from their niche. It is apparent that the complexity of biological processes dwarfs the sophistication of the current generation of therapy intended to direct, accelerate, repair, and regenerate tissues. For this reason, the present strategies of tissue engineering are focused on recapitulating the cascade of embryonic tissue development, with a particular interest in the growth of a robust blood vessel network within the new tissues. Decades of contemporary biom�dical research have focused primarily on understanding the mechanisms of biological functions in health and disease. This is a departure from conventional therapy toward strategic tissue engineering for craniofacial bone, and extends beyond to a new concept of healing for clinical practice. In this chapter, we will engineer the strategy, the roadmapping, and the principle of craniofacial bone therapy. The concept of this novel approach is discussed from a basic and clinical point of view. The auspice of regenerative dental therapy has relied on the interdisciplinary fields by its nature to make it feasible for mankind. � 2012 Scrivener Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.