Principles and applications of cell delivery systems for periodontal regeneration

The management of periodontal defects has been an ongoing challenge in clinical periodontics. This is mainly a result of the fact that the tissues which comprise the periodontium, the periodontal ligament, and the cementum and alveolar bone, represent three unique tissues in their own right. Thus, reconstruction of the periodontium is not just a simple matter of regenerating one tissue but involves at least three quite diverse and unique tissues. Resective surgical therapy, with or without osseous recontouring, was considered the norm during the 1950s and into the 1960s, in the belief that attainment of shallow pocket depths was a worthwhile goal. More recently, attention has been focused more on regenerative and reconstructive therapies, rather than on resective therapies. Currently, clinical and scientific research is focusing on a number of approaches for periodontal regeneration.