Dental implants and the use of rhBMP-2.

Tissue engineering is an emerging field of medicine and dentistry that combines the body's natural biologic response to tissue injury with engineering principles. The goal is to replicate or reconstruct the natural form and function of missing tissues and organs. Tissue-engineered bone with native qualities will be necessary for implantation or migration of engineered teeth in the future, and is currently required for the osseointegration of dental implants. This article addresses the role of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) in native bone healing for implant osseointegration and the application of BMP for de novo bone regeneration.