The role of rhFGF-2 in periodontal defect bone fill: A systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Growth factors have been used with success in periodontal regeneration, especially in intrabony defects. Among those, the recombined form of fibroblast growth factor-2 (rhFGF-2) has been also examined. OBJECTIVE: To address the outcomes of periodontal regeneration using rhFGF-2 alone or in combination with bone substitutes primarily in terms of Radiographic Bone Fill (RBF%) and secondary Probing Pocket Depth (PPD), and Probing Attachment Levels (PAL). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A search in MEDLINE and EMBASE using the Ovid interface was conducted from 2000 up to and including the 12th of November 2022. Starting from the initially identified 1289 articles, 34 studies were selected for further analysis. Following the full-text screening, 7 of the 34 studies met the inclusion criteria and thus were included in the systematic review after assessing their quality according to the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). Clinical and radiographic results (bone gain, pocket depth, and clinical attachment level) after the application of FGF-2 alone or in combination with different carriers were studied in patients with intrabony defects of at least one wall and pocket depth greater than 4 mm. RESULTS: Primary outcomes: RBF% was higher in studies using a combination of rhFGF-2 and bone substitutes (74.6 ± 20.0%) compared to others using the specific growth factor alone or negative controls (22.7 ± 20.7%). In terms of secondary outcomes, the analysis failed to show an additional benefit from the use of the rhFGF-2 alone or in combination with bone substitutes. CONCLUSION: rhFGF-2 can improve RBF% in the treatment of periodontal defects, especially when it is used in combination with a bone substitute.

Periodontal disease progression and gene polymorphisms: results after 3 years of active periodontal treatment.

BACKGROUND: Although non-surgical periodontal treatment is considered the gold standard, a subgroup of patients displays recurrence/progression of periodontitis after treatment. The aim of the present prospective study was to assess the effect of IL-6 -572 G/C and IL-10 -592 C/A gene polymorphisms on the risk of disease recurrence/progression at 3 years following non-surgical periodontal treatment. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis received oral hygiene instructions and non-surgical periodontal treatment and were monitored for 3 years. All individuals were clinically evaluated for PPD, CAL and BOP at baseline and 3 years. Based on the clinical findings at 3 years, all subjects were considered either "at risk" or "not at risk" of periodontal disease progression based on specific criteria. Blood samples were collected at baseline and genotyping of the polymorphisms in IL-6 (rs1800796) and IL-10 (rs1800872) genes were performed by PCR. RESULTS: Following DNA separation and genotyping, 70.3% of the patients were homozygous carriers of the IL-6 -572G and 45.9% were carriers of the IL-10 -592A allele. Individuals at risk of disease progression ranged from 16.2% to 56.8% based on the criteria used. IL-6 -572 G/C and IL-10 -592 C/A polymorphisms were not associated with an increased risk of further disease progression (P>0.05) when the three criteria were examined. All examined periodontal clinical measures were significantly improved (P<0.05) after treatment. Males showed a significantly higher risk of disease progression than females when full-mouth BOP ≥30% was considered (P=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this 3-year prospective study, individuals susceptible to periodontal disease as determined by the presence of the IL-6 -572GG genotype or the IL-10 -592A allele were not associated with an increased risk of further disease progression and the potential need for further treatment following non-surgical periodontal treatment. Males were more prone to be at risk of disease progression than females.

Flapless application of enamel matrix derivative in non-surgical periodontal treatment: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of the flapless application of enamel matrix derivative (EMD) in combination with non-surgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) when compared to non-surgical periodontal treatment alone in adult patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An electronic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Scopus and Cochrane Library up to March 2021 complemented by a manual search. Human longitudinal studies of >5 participants and at least 3 months follow-up were eligible for inclusion in the review. Clinical outcomes were extracted and pooled. Meta-analysis of the included studies was not possible due to methodological differences. RESULTS: A total of 1199 publications were identified and reviewed for eligibility. Nine of them fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Eight studies were randomized clinical trials. The clinical findings of the majority of the included studies demonstrated that the adjunctive use of EMD with NSPT could lead to significantly improved treatment outcomes including higher PPD reduction, more CAL gain, more robust BOP reduction, higher number of sites with PPD < 5 mm and more frequent pocket closure which reduces the need for further periodontal surgical treatment. Limited biological, microbiological and histological findings were reported. Minimal adverse events were observed. CONCLUSION: The flapless application of EMD during NSPT leads to an improved clinical outcome in regards to CAL gain and PPD reduction when compared to conventional treatment alone. The potential effect on the biological and microbiological outcome is unclear.

Current Concepts on the Pathogenesis of Peri-implantitis: A Narrative Review.

As implant treatment has been integrated in contemporary dental practice, complications with the forms of peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis have also increased in prevalence. Peri-implantitis is the more severe biological complication and is defined as an inflammatory disease affecting peri-implant tissues resulting in bone and eventually implant loss. In addition, the treatment of peri-implantitis has currently become a substantial global economic burden. In the current study, a search was conducted in several electronic databases using specific keywords relevant to the article's main topic. An increasing number of scientific reports have investigated the etiopathology of peri-implant diseases, focusing mainly on peri-implantitis. Microbial biofilm consists an important etiological factor of peri-implant pathology analogous to periodontal diseases. Although several data confirm that peri-implant infections are dominated by gram-negative bacteria, similar to periodontal infections, there is evidence that some cases may harbor a distinct microbiota, including opportunistic microorganisms and/or uncultivable species. Additionally, data support that several parameters, such as genetic predisposition of individual patients, occlusal overload, and local factors such as titanium particles and excess cement, may be implicated in peri-implantitis pathogenesis. Simultaneously, the release of titanium metal particles and their biological consequences or the presence of excess cement in the adjacent peri-implant tissues have also been suggested as factors that contribute to peri-implant pathology. A specific line of research also indicates the role of foreign body response to implant installation. This narrative review aims to discuss the current concepts of etiopathogenetic factors implicated in peri-implantitis.

Hereditary gingival fibromatosis in children: a systematic review of the literature.

OBJECTIVES: Hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF) is an uncommon, inherited condition with slow and progressive fibrous hyperplasia of the gingiva. Due to its association with mastication, speech, and occlusion problems, early diagnosis is important. We sought to summarize the available data regarding the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of children with HGF (< 18 years). METHODS: A systematic literature review of the MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases was conducted with respect to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement (end-of-search date: March 1, 2019). RESULTS: A total of 99 articles reporting on 146 patients were included. The mean age was 10.82 ± 3.93 years, and generalized gingival enlargement was seen in 97.16% (95% CI 92.69 to 99.14). Jaw, gingival, and teeth abnormalities; poor oral hygiene; eating; or speech difficulties were typical HGF-induced, while 60.90% had extraoral manifestations (95% CI 52.41 to 68.78). The disease was most commonly inherited in an autosomal dominant manner (88.41%, 95% CI 78.5 to 94.26), and about one-third of the patients had syndromic HGF (33.85%, 95% CI 23.50 to 46.00). Gingivectomy was performed in the majority of cases (91.15%, 95% CI 84.31 to 95.29), and recurrence was seen in 33.85% (95% CI 23.50 to 46.00). CONCLUSION: HGF should be suspected in children with nodularity and gingival fibrosis, teeth abnormalities, or jaw distortion. Family history can help to establish the diagnosis. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: More cases should focus on longer-term follow-up after gingivectomy as disease recurrence is not uncommon.