Background: Autogenous alveolar bone cell transplantation may be suitable for tissue engineering for alveolar bone reconstruction. This study aimed to isolate human alveolar bone-derived cells (HABDCs) and to evaluate the ability of collagen gels to support HABDC proliferation and differentiation for human alveolar bone tissue engineering applications. Method: Cultures of primary HABDCs were established from alveolar bone chips obtained from 10 persons undergoing tooth extraction. These cells were expanded in vitro until passage 3 and used for the in vitro characterization of HABDCs and the in vitro analysis of collagen gels for alveolar bone tissue engineering. Results: Of the 10 attempts made to obtain HABDC cultures, eight were successful. HABDCs expressed the osteoblastic phenotype characterized by alkaline phosphatase activity, osteocalcin expression and the mineralization of the extracellular matrix in vitro. When seeded on collagen gels, HABDCs penetrated into the collagen gel matrices and proliferated inside the gels. Significantly, when HABDCs were embedded into the gels, collagen fibers and mineralization were produced within the gels. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the feasibility of using cultured HABDCs and collagen gels for human alveolar bone tissue engineering applications.