Tissue-engineered ligament: implant constructs for tooth replacement.

Aim: A tissue-engineered periodontal ligament (PDL) around implants would represent an important new therapeutic tool to replace lost teeth. The PDL is the key to tooth anchoring; it connects tooth root and alveolar bone, and it sustains bone formation.

Materials And Methods: Cells were isolated from PDL and cultured in a bioreactor on titanium pins.