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Abstract
Some clinical case reports have shown that immature permanent teeth with periradicular
periodontitis or abscess can undergo apexogenesis after conservative endodontic treatment.
A call for a paradigm shift and new protocol for the clinical management of these
cases has been brought to attention. Concomitantly, a new population of mesenchymal
stem cells residing in the apical papilla of permanent immature teeth recently has
been discovered and was termed stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP). These stem
cells appear to be the source of odontoblasts that are responsible for the formation
of root dentin. Conservation of these stem cells when treating immature teeth may
allow continuous formation of the root to completion. This article reviews current
findings on the isolation and characterization of these stem cells. The potential
role of these stem cells in the following respects will be discussed: (1) their contribution
in continued root maturation in endodontically treated immature teeth with periradicular
periodontitis or abscess and (2) their potential utilization for pulp/dentin regeneration
and bioroot engineering.