Parathyroid hormone (PTH) functions as a major mediator of bone remodeling and as an essential regulator of calcium homeostasis. In addition to the well-established catabolic effects (activation of bone resorption) of PTH, it is now recognized that intermittent PTH administration has anabolic effects (promotion of bone formation). The aim of this study was to investigate whether intermittent administration of PTH in rodents would block the alveolar bone loss observed in rats when a ligature model of periodontitis is used. Morphometric analysis showed that intermittent PTH administration (40 microg/kg) was able to protect the tooth site from periodontitis-induced bone resorption. In addition, there was a significant reduction in the number of inflammatory cells at the marginal gingival area in sections obtained from animals receiving PTH compared with control animals. These findings demonstrated that intermittent PTH administration was able to protect against periodontitis-associated bone loss in a rodent model.

Tissue engineering is an emerging field of science that focuses on creating suitable conditions for the regeneration of tissues. The basic components for tissue engineering involve an interactive triad of scaffolds, signaling molecules, and cells. In this context,

The purpose of this study was to clinically evaluate an absorbable collagen membrane (Bio-Gide) and a nonabsorbable polytetrafluoroethylene membrane (PTFE), associated or not with bone grafts, for the treatment of ligature-induced peri-implantitis defects in dogs. The bilateral mandibular premolars were removed from 5 2-year-old mongrel dogs. After 3 months of healing, 3 titanium implants were placed on each side of the mandible. Experimental peri-implantitis was induced after abutment connection. Ligatures and abutments were removed after 1 month and the bone defects were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: DB: debridement alone; GBR+BG-I: debridement plus PTFE membrane associated with mineralized bone graft (Bio-Oss); GBR+BG-II: debridement plus collagen membrane (Bio-Gide) associated with mineralized bone graft; GBR-I: debridement plus PTFE membrane; GBR-II: debridement plus collagen membrane; BG: debridement plus mineralized bone graft. The peri-implant bone defects were measured before and 5 months after treatment. Results showed the greatest percentage of vertical bone fill for GBR+BG-II (27.77+/-14.07) followed by GBR-II (21.78+/-16.19), BG (21.26+/-6.87), GBR+BG-I (19.57+/-13.36), GBR-I (18.86+/-10.63) and DB (14.03+/-5.6). However, the values were not statistically significant (ANOVA, contrast F test, P=0.612). Within the limits of the present investigation, it can be concluded that no difference was detected among treatments.

Within the limits of the present study, nicotine enhanced the effects of the local components of periodontal disease in a non-dose-dependent way; nevertheless, the administration of nicotine did not produce periodontal bone loss by itself.

Root coverage procedures improve patient OHRQoL by impacting on a wide range of dimensions, perceived after reduction of CDH and esthetic dissatisfaction of patients with GRs treated with CAF + CM, CAF + EMD, and CAF + CM + EMD.

The data of the present study suggest that the use of cyclosporin A/nifedipine may influence bone healing around titanium implants. This observation may have important clinical implications.

Polymicrobial infections are one of the most common reasons for inflammation of surrounding tissues and failure of implanted biomaterials. Because microorganism adhesion is the first step for biofilm formation, physical–chemical modifications of biomaterials have been proposed to reduce the initial microbial attachment. Thus, the use of superhydrophobic coatings has emerged because of their anti-biofilm properties. However, these coatings on the titanium (Ti) surface have been developed mainly by dual-step surface modification techniques and have not been tested using polymicrobial biofilms. Therefore, we developed a one-step superhydrophobic coating on the Ti surface by using a low-pressure plasma technology to create a biocompatible coating that reduces polymicrobial biofilm adhesion and formation. The superhydrophobic coating on Ti was created by the glow discharge plasma using Ar, O2, and hexamethyldisiloxane gases, and after full physical, chemical, and biological characterizations, we evaluated its properties regarding oral biofilm inhibition. The newly developed coating presented an increased surface roughness and, consequently, superhydrophobicity (contact angle over 150°) and enhanced corrosion resistance (p < 0.05) of the Ti surface. Furthermore, proteomic analysis showed a unique pattern of protein adsorption on the superhydrophobic coating without drastically changing the biologic processes mediated by proteins. Additionally, superhydrophobic treatment did not present a cytotoxic effect on fibroblasts or reduction of proliferation; however, it significantly reduced (≈8-fold change) polymicrobial adhesion (bacterial and fungal) and biofilm formation in vitro. Interestingly, superhydrophobic coating shifted the microbiological profile of biofilms formed in situ in the oral cavity, reducing by up to ≈7 fold pathogens associated with the peri-implant disease. Thus, this new superhydrophobic coating developed by a one-step glow discharge plasma technique is a promising biocompatible strategy to drastically reduce microbial adhesion and biofilm formation on Ti-based biomedical implants.

The present study investigated the effect of nicotine administration on periodontal breakdown resulting from ligature-induced periodontitis in rats. Twenty adult male Wistar rats were used. After anesthesia, a mandibular first molar was randomly assigned to receive a cotton ligature in the sulcular area while the contralateral tooth was left unligated. The animals were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments. of daily intraperitoneal injections: A - saline solution, B -0.37 mg of nicotine kg, C -0.57 mg of nicotine kg and D -0.73 mg of nicotine/kg. Thirty days later, the animals were sacrificed and the specimens routinely processed for serial decalcified sections. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) revealed greater bone loss (p<0.05) in the ligated teeth of animals which received nicotine (groups B/C D) than in the ligated teeth of animals which received saline solution (group A). In addition, a dose-dependent response was observed among the nicotine groups. A negative effect of nicotine was observed in the unligated teeth of the experimental groups (p<0.05). Therefore, daily administration of nicotine enhanced, in a dose-dependent manner, the effects of local factors in producing periodontal breakdown. Furthermore, the nicotine seemed to have a direct deleterious effect on the periodontal tissues.