Advances in the Application of Dental Pulp Stem Cells for Repairing Facial Nerve Damage after Orthognathic Surgery

In orthognathic surgery, sagittal split mandibulectomy is a commonly used procedure for correcting mandibular deformities, however, postoperative nerve injury is relatively common in clinical practice, and is particularly likely to injure the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN), which may cause prolonged or irreversible facial paresthesia in certain individuals. However, current clinical treatment options are limited, primarily consisting of regular follow-up observations, the use of neurotrophic drugs, and minimally invasive nerve repair surgery. However, due to limitations in the rate of nerve self-repair, nerve activity continues to decline after injury, often resulting in incomplete functional recovery and affecting patients' daily life quality. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) originate from the neural crest in terms of histoembryology and share a common origin with neural stem cells. Therefore, in contrast to mesenchymal stem cells harvested from other tissues such as bone marrow or fat, DPSCs exhibit superior neurogenic capabilities, when subjected to specific stimuli, these cells are capable of differentiating into neuron-like cells and expressing neural markers. Furthermore, they facilitate the regeneration of injured nerves via the paracrine release of nerve growth factor, thus presenting novel therapeutic avenues and research targets for managing such nerve damage. This article reviews recent research progress on the role of dental pulp stem cells in promoting the repair of facial nerve injuries following orthognathic surgery, providing a theoretical basis and research directions for the prevention and treatment of such postoperative nerve injuries.