Current Advances in Oral and Craniofacial Tissue Engineering

Oral tissue engineering involves the study of current approaches for in vitro regeneration of soft and hard tissues located into the oral cavity. In this context, recent approaches involves the use of innovative biomaterials to replace the lost or damaged human oral tissues. Recent discoveries in materials science and nanotechnology are drastically changing the traditional approach to dentistry by the design of innovative devices able more efficiently supporting the natural regeneration process. The objective of this book is to highlight current progress in tissue engineering for various dental hard/soft tissues including enamel, dentin, pulp, alveolar bone, periodontium, gum and oral mucosa, by emphasizing the role of materials and their specific applications.

Dr. Vincenzo Guarino, PhD in Materials Science and Biomaterials, is Senior Researcher at the National Research Council of Italy (IPCB-CNR), Scientific Responsible of the Electrospinning and Optical Microscopy Labs, and co-responsible of LAMEST (Laboratory of Transmission and Electron Scanning Microscopy). His main research interests include biomaterials, scaffold design for tissue engineering and, more recently, the optimization of electro fluid dynamic technologies (i.e., electrospinning, electrospraying, Electro Dynamic Atomization) for the fabrication of micro/nanofibres, particles and capsules in regenerative medicine, drug delivery and cancer therapy. Author/co-author of about 150 international publications, 200 contributions in international/national conferences. (H-Index 2019 - Google Scholar 33; Scopus 28).

Dr. Marco Antonio Alvarez-Pérez is a Full Professor and Research in Dental School at UNAM. He is Head of Tissue Bioengineering Laboratory involved in several national and international projects. His main research interest includes design of micro and nanostructured scaffolds, cell and molecular biology characterization of mesenchymal stem cells for tissue engineering applications. Design of bio-inks with biomolecules for 3D scaffolds for bioprinting technology. He is member of international scientific committees and author/co-author of several papers in international peer-reviewed journals, reviews and chapters books. He is supervisor of bachelor, master and PhD students of biology, dental, physic and material engineering programs.