Tissue Engineering for Orthodontists: The Transforming Science Simplified

The fields of tissue engineering and orthodontics share a common general objective of applying scientific principles in conjunction with advanced technologies to achieve or restore tissue function and esthetics. While the roots of both fields can be traced to antiquity, the major advances underlying the contemporary prominence of each field have occurred largely over the past century. This article provides a brief introduction to the field of tissue engineering while highlighting examples in areas of relevance to orthodontics and outlining key challenges and opportunities at the intersection of these interdisciplinary fields.