The repair process for oral and
maxillofacial injuries involves hemostasis,
inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Injury repair involves a variety of cells, including platelets, immune cells, fibroblasts, and various
cytokines. Rapid and adequate healing of oral and maxillofacial
trauma is a major concern to patients. Functional
drug-delivery
hydrogels play an active role in promoting wound healing and have shown unique advantages in
wound dressings. Functional
hydrogels promote wound healing through their adhesive, anti-inflammatory,
antioxidant, antibacterial,
hemostatic, angiogenic, and re-epithelialization-promoting properties, effectively sealing
wounds and reducing
inflammation. In addition, functional
hydrogels can respond to changes in temperature, light, magnetic fields, pH, and
reactive oxygen species to release drugs, enabling precise treatment. Furthermore,
hydrogels can deliver various cargos that promote healing, including
nucleic acids,
cytokines, small-molecule drugs, stem cells, exosomes, and nanomaterials. Therefore, functional
drug-delivery
hydrogels have a positive impact on the healing of oral and
maxillofacial injuries. This review describes the oral mucosal structure and healing process and summarizes the currently available responsive
hydrogels used to promote wound healing.