Tmp39a6 TMP
Tmp39a6 TMP
Tmp39a6 TMP
information and solutions that will allow regenerated teeth to become a routine
treatment for individuals with missing teeth.
Despite the considerable progress of dental treatment and tooth decay prevention, elderly people
frequently encounter the problem of tooth loss,
affecting their quality of life. Restorative prosthetics in the form of implants provide a common solution to this problem. Dental implant
technology for tooth replacement was used in
several ancient civilizations. Indeed, dental
implants dating from 2500BC were found in
Egypt, and tooth replacement was documented
from the Mayan culture in 600AD[1]
Dental implants are still used today for
the functional replacement of missing teeth.
However, despite their long history, there are
several limitations in functionality and longevity
of the implants. Indeed, dental implants cannot
represent the ideal solution for tooth replacement
since the physiology and plasticity of naturally
formed teeth is not respected. The tooth interacts actively with the alveolar bone through the
periodontal ligament (PDL). The mechanical stress during mastication is supported and
modulated by this highly specialized tissue that
occupies the space between the tooth root and
the alveolar bone. PDL is not formed around
dental implants, making the bone tissue vulnerable when excessive forces are applied during
mastication [2] . Alternative strategies are being
tested to create a functional biocompatible type
of replacement for dental implants and efforts
are being made to regenerate parts or even the
entire tooth organ.
Thimios A Mitsiadis
Author for correspondence:
Institute of Oral Biology,
ZZM, Facultyof Medicine,
University ofZurich,
8032 Zurich, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 446 343 390
Fax: +41 446 344 310
thimios.mitsiadis@zzm.uzh.ch
Petros Papagerakis
Department of Orthodontics
&Pediatric Dentistry, Center for
Organogenesis, Center for
Computational Medicine &
Bioinformatics, Dental & Medical
Schools, University of Michigan,
AnnArbor, 48109 MI, USA
ISSN 1746-0751
135
Editorial
Challenges of dental
tissueregeneration
Editorial
137
Editorial
Conclusion
Tooth regeneration provides an attractive alternative to existing tooth restoration therapies.
This concept relies on the invitro recreation
Bibliography
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www.futuremedicine.com
Editorial
HoogerwerfW, Papagerakis P:
Expression of clock proteins in developing
tooth. Gene Expression Patterns DOI:
10.1016/j.gep.2010.12.002 (2010)
(Epubahead of print).
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