Silk-based biomaterial scaffolds for dental tissue regeneration

Being a natural biomaterial with exceptional biological features, silk-based biomaterial offers an attractive option for fabricating biomimetic scaffolds that provide excellent physicochemical and biomechanical support and induce several physiological signaling pathways to facilitate tissue regeneration. Recent advancements in various biofabrication strategies enable the creation of silk-derived cell-instructive scaffolds that accelerate the regeneration of dental tissue, which is a complex, multicellular, and polymorphic structure. This review highlights recent innovations in silk-based biomaterial scaffolds and comprehensively explores current shortcomings in developing them as ideal dental biomaterials for therapeutic delivery and regeneration. We discussed various structural-property relationships and their ability to induce pro-regenerative and immune-signaling pathways for the regeneration of different dental-associated soft and hard tissues. We further conclude by providing a perspective on the potential of silk-based multifunctional regenerative platforms in revolutionizing tooth regeneration. This review highlights recent advances in silk-based biomaterial scaffolds, and explores shortcomings in developing them as ideal dental biomaterials for therapeutic delivery and regeneration.