The impact of bioactive molecules to stimulate tooth repair and regeneration as part of restorative dentistry.

After implantation in the exposed pulp, some molecules of the den-tin extracellular matrix induce the formation of a reparative dentinal bridge in the coronal pulp. In some cases, total occlusion of the root canal also is observed. This is the case for bone sialoprotein, bone morphogenetic protein-7, Dentonin (a fragment from matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein), and two small amelogenin gene splice products (A+4 and A-4). Cells implicated in the reparative process are recruited, proliferate, and differentiate into osteoblast-like and odontoblast-like cells. The same results may be obtained by direct implantation of odontoblast progenitor cell into the pulp.