Clinical application of autologous fibroblast cell culture in gingival recession treatment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Gingival recession is defined as soft and hard tissue displacement resulting in root surface exposure. The optimal outcome of gingival recession treatment is complete, predictable and long-lasting root coverage with a significant level of tissue regeneration. Tissue engineering, which applies active regeneration principles, presents the contemporary treatment approach in the restitution and regeneration of lost tissues. The objective of the present study was to evaluate and compare the clinical results of application of an autologous fibroblast cell culture (AFCC) on a collagen matrix and a connective tissue graft (CTG) placed under a coronally advanced flap (CAF), in the treatment of single and multiple gingival recessions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighteen patients from the Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, University of Belgrade, were randomly enrolled in this study. Inclusion criteria were the bilateral presence of Miller Class I or II single or multiple maxillary gingival recessions. A split-mouth design was used in the study. The experimental group was treated with AFCC on a collagen scaffold, which was placed under a CAF. The control group received a combination of CTG and CAF. Clinical parameters such as gingival recession coverage, keratinized tissue width, clinical attachment level and gingival index were recorded at baseline and at 12 mo postoperatively. The oral hygiene level was assessed by plaque index evaluation. Postoperative healing was evaluated through the healing index, recorded 1, 2 and 3 wk postoperatively. The final esthetic outcome was assessed using the mean root coverage esthetic score (RES). RESULTS: Statistically significant improvement of all parameters assessed was found compared with baseline. A statistically significant difference between groups was observed only in keratinized tissue width. Greater keratinized tissue width is still obtained with the use of CTG. Regarding the tissue-healing results, no statistically significant difference was achieved. The RES results were similar for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of the present study, both procedures proved to be efficient in gingival recession treatment. AFCC, as a novel tissue-engineering concept and living cell-based therapy, proved to be a reliable and successful treatment concept.

Salivary antioxidants as periodontal biomarkers in evaluation of tissue status and treatment outcome.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: One of the major pathologic patterns in periodontitis represents an imbalance among the production of free radicals and local antioxidants resulting in periodontal tissue destruction. The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of non-surgical periodontal treatment on salivary antioxidants and to evaluate their capacity as biomarkers reflecting periodontal tissue condition and therapy outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-three systemically healthy non-smokers, including 21 periodontally healthy subjects (HC) and 42 patients with current chronic periodontitis fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Half of the patients received scaling and root planing (SRP) and the other half received only oral hygiene instructions. Full mouth clinical measurements, including gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), periodontal pocket depth, clinical attachment level and saliva sampling were performed at baseline visit and 2 mo after treatment/baseline visit. Total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), albumins (ALB), uric acid (UA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were evaluated in saliva samples using commercial kits. RESULTS: All measured antioxidants were affected by treatment resulting in significant increase in TAOC (p < 0.005), ALB (p < 0.001), UA (p < 0.001) and GPX (p < 0.001) and decrease of SOD (p < 0.005) in response to SRP, where no differences were observed for any of parameters in the oral hygiene instructions group. Comparison of antioxidant levels between the HC and SRP group showed that before treatment ALB were significantly higher in HC when compared to the SRP group (p = 0.039), and GXP (p = 0.000) and SOD (p = 0.021) levels were significantly higher in the SRP group. Comparison of values after treatment showed that TAOC was significantly higher in the HC than in the SRP group (p = 0.001), but UA was, inversely, significantly higher in the SRP group (p = 0.034). All clinical parameters except clinical attachment level were significantly decreased after SRP and significant correlations were observed between SOD and GI (p = 0.017), SOD and PI (p = 0.011), GPX and GI (p = 0.003) and GPX and PI (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Non-surgical periodontal treatment affected salivary TAOC, ALB, UA, SOD and GPX; moreover, these biochemical parameters convincingly reflected periodontal status and tissue response on treatment.

Platelet-rich fibrin and bovine porous bone mineral vs. platelet-rich fibrin in the treatment of intrabony periodontal defects.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Bovine porous bone mineral (BPBM) is a xenograft that has been successfully utilized in periodontal regeneration. Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is a leukocyte and platelet preparation that concentrates various polypeptide growth factors and therefore has the potential to be used as regenerative treatment for periodontal defects. The purpose of this study was to examine the suitability of autologous PRF as regenerative treatment for periodontal intrabony defects in humans and to examine the ability of BPBM to augment the regenerative effects exerted by PRF. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using a split-mouth design, 17 paired intrabony defects were randomly treated either with PRF or with PRF-BPBM combination. Re-entry surgeries were performed at 6 mo. Primary study outcomes were changes in pocket depth, attachment level and defect fill. RESULTS: Preoperative pocket depths, attachment levels and transoperative bone measurements were similar for the PRF and PRF-BPBM groups. Postsurgical measurements revealed a significantly greater reduction in pocket depth in the PRF-BPBM group (4.47±0.78 mm on buccal and 4.29±0.82 mm on lingual sites) when compared with the PRF group (3.35±0.68 mm on buccal and 3.24±0.73 mm on lingual sites). The PRF-BPBM group presented with significantly greater attachment gain (3.82±0.78 mm on buccal and 3.71±0.75 mm on lingual sites) than the PRF group (2.24±0.73 mm on buccal and 2.12±0.68 mm on lingual sites). Defect fill was also greater in the PRF-BPBM group (4.06±0.87 mm on buccal and 3.94±0.73 mm on lingual sites) than in the PRF group (2.21±0.68 mm on buccal and 2.06±0.64 mm on lingual sites). CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that PRF can improve clinical parameters associated with human intrabony periodontal defects, and BPBM has the ability to augment the effects of PRF in reducing pocket depth, improving clinical attachment levels and promoting defect fill.

Correlation between different genotypes of human cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus and peri-implant tissue status.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of different genotypes of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in peri-implantitis and mucositis sites, and to evaluate the correlation between herpesvirus presence and clinical parameters. METHODS: A total of 80 dental implants (mean time of loading, 4.16 ± 1.8 years) were evaluated during the course of the study (30 peri-implantitis, 25 mucositis and 25 healthy peri-implant sites). The following clinical parameters were assessed: visible plaque index, bleeding on probing, suppuration and probing depth. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was used to identify the presence of different HCMV and EBV genotypes in peri-implant tissue plaque samples. RESULTS: HCMV-2 was detected in 53.3% and EBV-1 in 46.6% of the 30 peri-implantitis sites evaluated. By contrast, HCMV-2 was not detected in healthy periodontal sites and EBV-1 was detected in one healthy site. A statistically significant correlation was found between the presence of HCMV-2 and EBV-1 genotypes and clinical parameters of peri-implantitis. CONCLUSIONS: The results from the present study confirmed the high prevalence of HCMV-2 and EBV-1 in the peri-implant tissue plaque of peri-implantitis sites and suggests a possible active pathogenic role of the viruses in peri-implantitis.

Prevalence of human cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus in subgingival plaque at peri-implantitis, mucositis and healthy sites. A pilot study.

This study evaluated the prevalence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in peri-implantitis and mucositis sites and the correlation between herpesvirus and clinical parameters. Fifty-six dental implants (mean time of loading, 4.27±1.6 years) were evaluated (20 peri-implantitis, 18 mucositis, 18 healthy peri-implant sites.) The clinical parameters assessed were: visible plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), suppuration (SUP), probing depth (PD). A polymerase chain reaction assay identified HCMV and EBV in subgingival plaque samples. The percent of sites with plaque and BOP was significantly higher around mucositis and peri-implantitis compared with healthy implants (p<0.05). The mean PD around the implants was significantly higher in peri-implantitis, followed by mucositis and healthy implants (p<0.05). HCMV was detected in 13 (65%) and EBV in 9 (45%) of the 20 peri-implantitis sites. HCMV was found in 1 of the 18 (6%) healthy periodontal sites and EBV in 2 (11%). A statistically significant correlation was found between presence of HCMV and EBV subgingivally and clinical parameters of peri-implantitis and healthy sites. These results confirm the high prevalence of HCMV and EBV in subgingival plaque of peri-implantitis sites and suggest the viruses have a possible active pathogenic role in peri-implantitis.

A comparison between enamel matrix proteins used alone or in combination with bovine porous bone mineral in the treatment of intrabony periodontal defects in humans.

BACKGROUND: It has been shown that clinical improvement of intrabony periodontal defects can be achieved with the use of enamel matrix proteins (EMPs) or by grafting with bovine porous bone mineral (BPBM). There is no report on the potential synergistic effect of EMPs and BPBM in periodontal regenerative therapy. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical effectiveness of EMPs used alone or in combination with BPBM in the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects in humans. METHODS: Twenty-one paired intrabony defects were surgically treated using a split-mouth design. Intrabony defects were treated either with enamel matrix proteins (EMP group) or with enamel matrix proteins combined with bovine porous bone mineral (EMP/BPBM group). Re-entry surgeries were performed at 6 months. RESULTS: Preoperative probing depths, attachment levels, and transoperative bone measurements were similar for the EMP and EMP/BPBM groups. Postsurgical measurements taken at 6 months revealed a significantly greater reduction in probing depth in the EMP/BPBM group (3.43 +/- 1.32 mm on buccal sites and 3.36 +/- 1.35 mm on lingual sites) when compared to the EMP group (1.91 +/- 1.42 mm on buccal sites and 1.85 +/- 1.38 mm on lingual sites). The EMP/BPBM group also presented with significantly more attachment gain (3.13 +/- 1.41 mm on buccal sites and 3.11 +/- 1.39 mm on lingual sites) than the EMP group (1.72 +/- 1.33 mm on buccal sites and 1.75 +/- 1.37 mm on lingual sites). Surgical re-entry of the treated defects revealed a significantly greater amount of defect fill in favor of the EMP/BPBM group (3.82 +/- 1.43 mm on buccal sites and 3.74 +/- 1.38 mm on lingual sites) as compared to the EMP group (1.33 +/1.17 mm on buccal sites and 1.41 +/- 1.19 mm on lingual sites). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that BPBM has the ability to augment the effects of EMPs in reducing probing depth, improving clinical attachment levels, and promoting defect fill when compared to presurgical levels.