Dental interpretation of gene editing by CRISPR/CAS 9

Abstract

Introduction: Gene editing by CRISPR/Cas9 revolutionizes the field of molecular biology and allows efficient modification of the genome of different organisms, including humans.
Objective: To interpret gene editing by CRISPR/CAS9 through a literature review.
Methods: This was an exploratory study, aided by hermeneutics to interpret the literature review. It was descriptive, cross-sectional, observational and retrospective. Eighty-four scientific articles were examined in the database PubMed seeking answers to 4 questions that guided the study.
Results: It was evidenced that, gene editing by means of CRISPR/CAS 9 is a promising technique in dentistry that has demonstrated its efficacy in the selective elimination of pathogenic strains of S. mutans, the correction of genetic mutations and the improvement of osseointegration of dental implants; also that it is used to correct genetic mutations in patients with hereditary dental diseases; as well as that although it has great potential in dentistry, there are significant barriers that hinder its clinical application, among other findings.
Conclusions: Gene editing using CRISPR/Cas9 has great potential in dentistry, both in the development of therapies for genetic diseases and in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases such as dental caries. However, more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of gene editing on patients and its safety.