Dental stem cell, a type of adult stem cell, exhibits multipotent differentiation capacity and is drawing worldwide attention because of its numerous applications. The advances in applications of dental stem cells seem to be unsurpassed in the near future, for which specialized skills and knowledge in this arena are of prime significance. Hence, there is a need to acquire more knowledge about dental stem cells to obtain maximum benefits from it in the coming years. Dental stem cells in India are still at the budding stage, and there seems to be limited awareness regarding dental stem cells.

Development in stem cell research is progressing very rapidly. Stem cells are the cells that have the ability to differentiate into different types of cell by undergoing numerous cell divisions along with maintaining the property to differentiate and proliferate into mature cell types. Stem cells are also called as the precursor cells or the progenitor cells because of the ability of self?renewal and trans-differentiation.

The term “stem cell” was coined by Wilson. A histologist from Russia by name Alexander Maksimov postulated the existence of hematopoietic stem cells in the year 1908. Stem cells will make great progress in the treatment of dental caries, periodontal disease, oral mucosal regeneration, dental pulp, salivary glands in patients with xerostomia and other craniofacial structures. In the future, dental practices can become "stem cell banks" for patients who would later have had the need to replace alveolar bone, teeth or some other oral tissue. Healthy pulp, intact blood flow, absence of infection, deep caries and other pathologies.

The best source of stem cells are the teeth of young, healthy patients, whose stem cells have the greatest ability of proliferation, but stem cells from permanent teeth of middle-aged people can also be used in the same way. This is a great advantage in terms of the length of life and almost safe use in future regenerative therapy, especially when it is known that the best stem cells for therapy are their own, because in this way the risk of neuro-compatibility and tissue rejection is reduced to a minimum.

Based on the origin and their potential of differentiation, stem cells are broadly classified as ESCs and ASCs. Five different populations in postnatal dental tissues were isolated Stem Cells of the Dental Pulp (DPSCs), Stem Cells of Primary Tooth (SHEDs), Stem Cells of Apical Papilles (SCAPs), Stem Cells of Periodontal Ligament (PDLSCs) and Precursor Cells of Dental Follicle (DFPCs).

Primary teeth represent a rich source of stem cells. It is a heterogeneous cell population that has a clonogenic capacity. Compared to DPSCs, they grow and proliferate significantly faster and have a greater number of divisions.

Stem cells can also be isolated from the apical soft tissue papilla that surrounds the top of the root of the permanent teeth in development. Apical papilla is a precursor of radicular pulp. These cells show the possibility of differentiation in the cells of estrogenic, odontogenic, adipogenic and neurogenic lines.

Stem cells of parodontal ligament cell population is found in a human healthy periodontal ligament. They are localized in the coronary and apical parts of the root furcation. PDLSCs have the ability to differentiate into cells similar to cement oblasts, osteoblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes, and fibroblasts.

Precursor cells of dental follicle cells are located in a dental follicle, an ectomesenhimal structure that surrounds the enamel organ and dental tissue of the tooth during development, prior to emergence.

However, in addition to the low availability of stem cells, the great problem is the very low quantity and discretionary quality of the transmitted cell lines. The amount of stem cell cells that possess the necessary cell markers and abilities is very limited. More experimental research is needed on the use of signalling molecules and specially designed carriers to target the behaviour of stem cells as well as their correct differentiation into the desired tissue. Their development will lead to new solutions to many clinical problems that pose a challenge even in today's modern dentistry.