Growth Factors and Connective Tissue Homeostasis in Periodontal Disease

Abstract

Periodontal disease is one of the major dental pathologies that affect human populations worldwide at high prevalence rates (Petersen, 2003). Periodontal diseases represents a family of heterogeneous chronic inflammatory lesions that involve the periodontium, a connective tissue protected by the epithelium, important to attach the teeth to the bone in the jaws and to support the teeth during function (Taylor, 2003). It is well known that periodontal diseases are caused by the interaction between periodontopathogens, almost gram-negative bacteria that grows on the teeth, and the host immune response to the chronic infection which results in tissue destruction (Ratcliff & Johnson, 1999; Reynolds & Meikle, 1997).