UNVEILING THE HIDDEN POTENT: MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS FROM WISDOM TEETH IN TISSUE REPAIR AND DISEASE THERAPY

Wisdom-tooth (third-molar) tissues harbour multiple populations of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (DMSCs) principally dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs), and stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAPs). These cells are readily accessible from routinely extracted teeth, possess robust proliferative and multilineage differentiation potential, and exert reparative effects through paracrine, immunomodulatory, angiogenic and neurotrophic mechanisms. Preclinical evidence supports their use in pulp–dentin regeneration, periodontal and alveolar bone repair, craniofacial reconstruction and emerging non-dental applications such as neuroprotection. Translation to routine clinical use, however, is limited by donor and population heterogeneity, variable isolation and expansion protocols, safety and tumorigenicity concerns, and the absence of standardized potency assays and GMP workflows. This review synthesizes the current biology of wisdom-tooth MSCs, summarizes mechanisms of action, biomaterial and engineering strategies, preclinical and early clinical data, safety and regulatory considerations, and future directions highlighting pathways to accelerate safe, reproducible therapeutic translation.