Dental Pulp Regeneration by Autologous Tissue Transplantation

July 21, 2026 updated by: University of California, Los Angeles

Dental Pulp Regeneration for Root Canals by Autologous Tissue Transplantation

The purpose of this study is to develop new improved therapy for teeth that require root canals due to tooth infection or tooth inflammation. Investigators will recruit total of 50 participants from the age group 7 - 50 at the UCLA School of Dentistry Endodontic clinic. The participants will be divided into two groups, one will receive traditional therapy, which may include root canal or a procedure called "revascularization," which is a procedure trying to regrow the tissue inside the tooth. The other group of participants will receive the test treatment, which will involve harvesting of pulp tissues from the same tooth or other teeth that are planned for extraction. Investigators will prepare these tissues and place the tissues back into the cleaned root canal space with induced bleeding to allow regrowth of the tissue. For all participants, investigators will follow up after 6, 12, and 24 months in a shorter appointment, which may involve taking x-ray and clinical exam.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Withdrawn

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The goal of the study is to test whether autologous pulpal mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is capable of de novo regeneration of pulp-dentin complex and restoration of normal pulp physiology in teeth with necrotic or inflamed pulp. This is a highly novel study that will bring the regenerative endodontic approaches to the next level. Furthermore, revascularization approaches, as delivered in today's endodontic offices, present several challenges, including lack of de novo pulp-dentin regeneration, and frequent occurrence of intracanal calcification. These findings attest to the limitation of revascularization as a regenerative endodontic procedure (REP) and necessitates advent of novel approach for functional restoration of dental pulp. The ultimate objective of the current study is to develop a new REP that allows for de novo regeneration of functional dental pulp, which can be readily performed in a chair-side manner.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90095
        • UCLA School of Dentistry

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

3 years to 46 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Healthy male or female participants at ages of 7 - 50 y.o. presenting with a tooth diagnosed with complete or partial necrosis of the pulp or irreversible pulpitis.
  • Participants presenting with donor pulp tissue, either from existing deciduous teeth or from permanent teeth treatment planned for extraction, e.g., second premolars for orthodontic extraction or third molars.
  • Participants presenting with irreversible pulpitis and partial necrosis, i.e., visible pulpal tissues during access opening and canal debridement.
  • Participants with immature root apices, including those with partially closed apex, that require root canal procedure.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants with any systemic conditions preventing routine dental procedures or requiring medication that interfere with healing or induce bleeding.
  • Participants with avulsed, replanted teeth with resultant pulp necrosis.
  • Participants with vertical root fracture/cracks.
  • Participants with teeth that are not restorable.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Sham Comparator: Root canal revascularization
Root canal disinfection and revascularization without tissue transplantation. This will serve as control group.
Procedure: Root canal revascularization
Root canal disinfection and revascularization without tissue transplantation
Experimental: Autologous tissue transplantation
Root canal disinfection will be performed and revascularization will be induced with autologous tissue transplantation.
Procedure: Autologous tissue transplantation
Root canal disinfection and revascularization with patient's own minced pulp tissues

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in radiographic assessment for periapical inflammation
Time Frame: 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months
This outcome will test the effect of treatment in either Arm on resolving periapical inflammation, which will be assessed by radiographic imaging and clinical examination. Healing of periapical inflammatory lesion will be measured by radiographic imaging to note changes in the size of pre-existing radiograph periapical lesions after the treatment.
6 months, 12 months, and 24 months
Changes in pulpal sensibility to temperature and electric current
Time Frame: 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months
This outcome will test whether the treatment in either Arm will allow revitalization of pulp tissues, by means of thermal and electrical testing of pulp vitality.
6 months, 12 months, and 24 months
Changes in root dentin thickness of root canals
Time Frame: 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months
This outcome will assess changes in root dentin thickness after treatment in either arm. We will also determine if the apical opening (foramen) will close in cases that initially present with open apices. This assessment will be based on radiographic imaging.
6 months, 12 months, and 24 months
Changes in root length
Time Frame: 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months
This outcome will assess changes in root length after treatment in either arm. This assessment will be based on radiographic imaging.
6 months, 12 months, and 24 months
Changes of root canal calcification in teeth treated by revascularization with or without tissue transplantation
Time Frame: 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months
This outcome will assess the degree of root canal calcification in teeth treated in either Arm by radiographic imaging. Degree of calcification will be measured by means of different levels of radio-opacity in routine dental X rays.
6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of California, Los Angeles

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Mo Kang, DDS,PhD, University of California, Los Angeles

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
February 14, 2019

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 30, 2021

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 30, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 5, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 5, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 7, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 23, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 21, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 18-000077

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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