Current research directions in regenerative therapy

Abstract

Chronic periodontitis has been the principal cause behind the irreparable destruction of the periodontium. In the field of surgical periodontal therapy, regeneration of damaged tissues by utilizing our body’s naturally produced growth factors along with various other biomaterials either synthetically formulated or animally derived has piqued the attention of the dental practitioner. The human body has a natural capacity and potency of regenerating the lost tissue up to an extent; this characteristic is tapped in the regenerative therapy. Presently this therapy is bounded by the limited research and knowledge on the materials that can be used, instruments that are required for a successful procedure and method devised to gain desired outcomes presently available and the body’s natural capability for regeneration. Tissue engineering use of stem cell, gene therapy and research on various aspects of regenerative therapy, has produced predicted results in exciting new treatment method for clinicians shortly. Traditional treatment modalities like mechanical instrumentation, curettage and open flap debridement result in keeping the inflammation in check and long junctional epithelium formation which leads to only periodontal repair and not regeneration. Many practitioners frequently use a combined method of putting both barrier membrane and bone grafts to curb the limitations posed by the down growth of epithelium and sagging of the non-rigid barrier used to maintain the grafts in place. This has led to enhanced interest in the Hence, there has been increased attention in the treatment of chronic diseases of the periodontium further elevating the quality of life of the patients. This review article aims to review diverse obtainable bio-materials, scaffolds, barriers and osseous grafts along with the plethora of procedures applied in periodontal regenerative therapy.