Implantology is an ancient art that can be traced back several thousand years. Although modern implants have improved substantially over the last 50 years, the basic principle remains unchanged: replace a missing tooth with an inert non-biological material (metal, ceramic etc.). The rate of technological improvements in implants has reached a plateau and substantial new developments will require major changes to the basic approach. Rapid advances in the development of cell-based therapies in medicine suggest that similar approaches should be considered in dental treatment. The use of cell-based implants that will develop into natural teeth and the employment of cells to restore/repair caries lesions is thus an area of considerable interest and excitement.