This article is limited to a review of bone replacement graft materials used in periodontal therapy. The source, mode of bone regeneration and the respective advantages and disadvantages of autogenous, allogenic, xenogenic and alloplastic materials are discussed.

Summary: Alloplastic bone graft materials are widely been used in combination with barrier membranes to achieve guided tissue regeneration in the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects. This study was designed to evaluate the clinical outcome of a composite material, beta tricalcium phosphate in combination with calcium sulphate in the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects. The combination of these materials is believed to aid in guided tissue regeneration owing to their properties. Thirty nine intrabony defects in 21 patients were treated with Fortoss ® Vital (Biocomposites, Staffordshire, UK). Clinical parameters were evaluated including changes in probing depth, clinical attachment level/loss and gingival recession at baseline and one year postoperatively. The mean differences in measurements between the baseline and one year postoperatively are a reduction of 1.98±1.16 mm (p=0.000) in case of probing depth and a gain of 1.68±1.12 mm (p=0.000) in clinical attachment level and an increase of 0.31±0.67 mm (p=0.009) in gingival recession measurements. The study results show that the treatment with a combination of beta tricalcium phosphate and calcium sulphate led to a significantly favorable clinical improvement in periodontal intrabony defects one year postoperatively.

Hyaluronic acid (HA; synonyms- Hyaluronan, Hyaluronate) is a glycosaminoglycan found in the connective tissue of vertebrates. It is the most abundant glycosaminoglycan of higher molecular weight in the extracellular matrix of soft periodontal tissues. The use of HA in the treatment of inflammatory process is established in medical areas such as orthopedics, dermatology and ophthalmology. In the field of dentistry, it has shown anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects in gingivitis and periodontitis therapy. Due to its tissue healing properties, it could be used as an adjunct to mechanical therapy in the treatment of periodontitis.