A technique pioneered in the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory of Dr. Jeremy Mao, the Edward V. Zegarelli Professor of Dental Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, can orchestrate stem cells to migrate to a three-dimensional scaffold infused with growth factor, holding the translational potential to yield an anatomically correct tooth in as soon as nine weeks once implanted.
People who have lost some or all of their adult teeth typically look to dentures, or, more recently, dental implants to improve a toothless appearance that can have a host of unsettling psycho-social ramifications. Despite being the preferred treatment for missing teeth nowadays, dental implants can sometimes fail and develop other problems.
An animal-model study has shown that by homing stem cells to a scaffold made of natural materials and integrated in surrounding tissue, there is no need to use harvested stem cell lines, or create an environment outside of the body (e.g., a Petri dish) where the tooth is grown and then implanted once it has matured. The tooth instead can be grown “orthotopically,” or in the socket where the tooth will integrate with surrounding tissue in ways that are impossible with hard metals or other materials.
“These findings represent the first report of regeneration of anatomically shaped tooth-like structures in vivo, and by cell homing without cell delivery,” Dr. Mao and his colleagues say in the paper. “The potency of cell homing is substantiated not only by cell recruitment into scaffold microchannels, but also by the regeneration of periodontal ligaments and newly formed alveolar bone.”
The work of Dr. Mao and his laboratory, however, holds manifold promise: a more natural process, faster recovery times and a harnessing of the body’s own potential to re-grow tissue that will not give out and could ultimately last the patient’s lifetime.
“A key consideration in tooth regeneration is finding a cost-effective approach that can translate into therapies for patients who cannot afford or who aren’t good candidates for dental implants,” Dr. Mao says. “Cell-homing-based tooth regeneration may provide a tangible pathway toward clinical translation.”
This study is published in the most recent Journal of Dental Research, the top-rated, peer-reviewed scientific journal dedicated to the dissemination of new knowledge and information on all sciences relevant to dentistry, the oral cavity and associated structures in health and disease.
Comments are appreciated!
Source and Photo Credit: Columbia University Medical Center
Science daily 2010-05-08 —-The stage for osteoporosis is set well before menopause — but exercise can help rewrite the script, according to researchers. They hypothesize that higher levels of follicle-stimulating hormone decrease bone mineral density by influencing the production of cytokines.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100426105643.htm
My partner, Giovanni Castellucci, and I have been treating periodontal disease in our periodontal practice for over 29 years. Every day, we see an ever increasing amount of requests from our restorative colleagues and patients from Boston, Newton, Framingham, and the surrounding metrowest communities for Laser Periodontal Treatment as an alternative to more conventional surgical modalities. Dental lasers have been around for many years, and, in my opinion, are here to stay. Several laser devices and treatment protocols exist today including LANAP (laser-assisted new attachment procedure) and LPT (Laser Periodontal Therapy) from Millennium Dental Technologies, WPT (Wavelength-optimized Periodontal Therapy) from Lares Dental Research, and LAPT (Laser-Assisted Periodontal Therapy) from other companies such as Biolase, Kavo, and HOYA ConBio – just to name a few. Benefits include virtually pain-free procedures without surgical incisions and stitches, usually minimal or no bleeding, reduction of bacteria levels, shorter treatment times, and faster recovery. Our patients welcome these possibilities.
It is important to consider that every case must be evaluated on its own merits, and not all cases are best treated with dental lasers. Time-tested conventional periodontal therapy including elimination of bony defects by resection or bone regeneration techniques continues to play an active role in our daily practice.
The number of scientific research studies relating to the use of lasers in dentistry continues to expand. Evidence-based protocols for the treatment of gum disease and associated periodontal problems is of paramount importance for our patients.
What has been your experience? Are your patients requesting laser periodontal treatment? Comments are appreciated.
Cary Feuerman, DMD
PERIODONTAL ASSOCIATES
photo credit: Lares Research
Modern dentistry has eliminated much of the “ouch!” from getting a shot of local anesthetic. Now a new discovery may replace the needle used to give local anesthetic in the dentist’s chair for many procedures. Scientists are reporting evidence that a common local anesthetic, when administered to the nose as nose drops or a nasal spray, travels through the main nerve in the face and collects in high concentrations in the teeth, jaw, and structures of the mouth.
The discovery could lead to a new generation of intranasal drugs for noninvasive treatment for dental pain, migraine, and other conditions, the scientists suggest in American Chemical Society’s bi-monthly journal Molecular Pharmaceutics. The article is scheduled for the journal’s May-June issue.
William H. Frey II, Ph.D., and colleagues note that drugs administered to the nose travel along nerves and go directly to the brain. One of those nerves is the trigeminal nerve, which brings feelings to the face, nose and mouth. Until now, however, scientists never checked to see whether intranasal drugs passing along that nerve might reach the teeth, gums and other areas of the face and mouth to reduce pain sensations in the face and mouth.
Neil Johnson, working in the labs of Frey and Leah R. Hanson, Ph.D., at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn., found that lidocaine or Xylocaine, sprayed into the noses of laboratory rats, quickly traveled down the trigeminal nerve and collected in their teeth, jaws, and mouths at levels 20 times higher than in the blood or brain. The approach could provide a more effective and targeted method for treating dental pain/anxiety, trigeminal neuralgia (severe facial pain), migraine, and other conditions, the scientists say.
Furthermore, these scientists discovered an improved future location to administer anesthetic, the maxillary sinus. The maxillary sinus is a golfball-sized space located underneath each cheek where drug can be sprayed. Delivery into this confined space may be the next generation approach beyond a nasal spray in providing a more rapid and focused delivery of anesthetic.
The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 161,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
Journal Reference:
- Neil J. Johnson, Leah R. Hanson, William H. Frey. Trigeminal Pathways Deliver a Low Molecular Weight Drug from the Nose to the Brain and Orofacial Structures. Molecular Pharmaceutics,
2010: 100510131956016 DOI: 10.1021/mp100029t
Story Source:
Adapted from materials provided by American Chemical Society, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Photo Credit: iStock
Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals Case Medical Center report initial results from a small sample that inflammation from gum disease and prostate problems just might be linked. They discuss their new evidence in the Journal of Periodontology. The researchers compared two markers: the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) used to measure inflammation levels in prostate disease, and clinical attachment loss (CAL) of the gums and teeth, which can be an indicator for periodontitis.
A PSA elevation of 4.0 ng/ml in the blood can be a sign of inflammation or malignancy. Patients with healthy prostate glands have lower than 4.0 ng/ml levels. A CAL number greater than 2.7 mm indicates periodontitis.
Like prostatitis, periodontitis also produces high inflammation levels.
“Subjects with both high CAL levels and moderate to severe prostatitis have higher levels of PSA or inflammation,” stated Nabil Bissada, chair of the department of periodontics in the dental school. Bissada added that this might explain why PSA levels can be high in prostatitis, but sometimes cannot be explained by what is happening in the prostate glands. “It is something outside the prostate gland that is causing an inflammatory reaction,” he said.
Because periodontitis has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, the researchers felt a link might exist to prostate disease.
Looking at the results, the researchers from the dental school and the department of urology and the Institute of Pathology at the hospital found those with the most severe form of the prostatitis also showed signs for periodontitis.
This research serves as another reminder of the link between oral disease and overall medical health. Comments are appreciated?
Source: Science Daily
Photo Credit: BBC
Journal Reference:
- Joshi et al. Association Between Periodontal Disease and Prostate Specific Antigen Levels in Chronic Prostatitis Patients. Journal of Periodontology, 2010; 100409084221025 DOI: 10.1902/jop.2010.090646
Researchers at Rice University, the University of Texas Health Science Centers at Houston and San Antonio and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have found that gently applying a brush to a lesion on the tongue or cheek can help detect oral cancer with success rates comparable to more invasive techniques, according to preliminary studies. The test that uses Rice’s diagnostic nano-bio-chip was found to be 97 percent “sensitive” and 93 percent specific in detecting which patients had malignant or premalignant lesions, results that compared well with traditional tests.
The study appeared online in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.
“One of the key discoveries in this paper is to show that the miniaturized, noninvasive approach produces about the same result as the pathologists do,” said John McDevitt, the Brown-Wiess Professor of Chemistry and Bioengineering at Rice. His lab developed the novel nano-bio-chip technology at the university’s BioScience Research Collaborative. The future is with nano-bio-chips — small, semiconductor-based devices that combine the ability to capture, stain and analyze biomarkers for a variety of health woes that also include cardiac disease, HIV and trauma injuries. Researchers hope the eventual deployment of nano-bio-chips will dramatically cut the cost of medical diagnostics and contribute significantly to the task of bringing quality health care to the world.
This is an interesting development and technology that could have a major impact on the way we evaluate and screen for oral pathology. Check it out. Your thoughts and comments are appreciated.
Source: Science Daily
Photo credit: University of Texas
Esterified hyaluronic acid for use as a bone grafting material in periodiontal defects and also to regenerate bone for implant placement and stabilization.
Int.J Periodontics Resorative Dent. 2009; 29:315-323,
produced by Fidia Advanced Biopolymers Srl in Italy, more info at www.Fidiapharma.com.
An interesting concept using a polymer of polysaccaharide which is the principal component of the extra-cellular matrix which is involved in cell division and tissue formation. HyA is osteoconductive and favours bone formation in tissue healing. It also has bacteriostatic effects on common periodontal pathogens and has an anti-inflammatory role in periodontal/ bone healing.
People who are stressed by daily problems or trouble at work seem to be more likely to grind their teeth at night. Researchers writing in BioMed Central’s open access journal Head & Face Medicine studied the causes of ‘sleep bruxism’, gnashing teeth during the night, finding that it was especially common in those who try to cope with stress by escaping from difficult situations. Maria Giraki, from Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany, worked with a team of researchers to study the condition in 69 people, of whom 48 were ‘bruxers’. She said, “Bruxing can lead to abrasive tooth wear, looseness and sensitivity of teeth, and growth and pain in the muscles responsible for chewing. Its causes are still relatively unknown, but stress has been implicated. We aimed to investigate whether different stress-factors, and different coping strategies, were more or less associated with these bruxism symptoms.”
Bruxing was not associated with age, sex or education level, but was more common in people who claimed to experience daily stress and trouble at work.
Giraki adds, “Our data support the assumption that people with the most problematic grinding do not seem to be able to deal with stress in an adequate way. They seem to prefer negative coping strategies like ‘escape’. This, in general, increases the feeling of stress, instead of looking at the stressor in a positive way.”
This article seems to confirm what already know. In our private practice of periodontics, dental implants and bone regeneration in Framingham and Newton, it seems as though we see occlusal wear, cervical abfraction, myofacial pain and other related issues in increasing numbers. Perhaps we can blame this on another phenomenon – the poor economy! What is your experience?
Source: Science Daily
Photo credit: Ineedmotivation.com
Several genes affect tooth development in the first year of life, according to the findings of a study conducted at Imperial College London, the University of Bristol in the UK and the University of Oulu in Finland. The research, published February 26 in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics, shows that the teeth of babies with certain genetic variants tend to appear later and that these children have a lower number of teeth by age one. Additionally, those children whose teeth develop later are more likely to need orthodontic treatment. Abnormal tooth development may lead to dental problems that demand challenging and costly orthodontic treatment. The discovery of genes influencing tooth growth may lead to innovations in the early treatment and prevention of congenital dental and occlusion problems. Professor Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin said: “The discoveries of genetic and environmental determinants of human development will help us to understand the development of many disorders which appear later in life. We hope also that these discoveries will increase knowledge about why foetal growth seems to be such an important factor in the development of many chronic diseases.” Do any of our orthodontic colleagues feel that this article has merit? Has this been your experience in practice?
Source: Science Daily
Journal Reference: Pillas D, Hoggart CJ, Evans DM, O’Reilly PF, Sipilä K, et al. Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Multiple Loci Associated with Primary Tooth Development during Infancy. PLoS Genet, 6(2): e1000856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000856
A multidisciplinary group of investigators from the UCLA School of Dentistry, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, the UCLA School of Public Health and UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has demonstrated the usefulness of salivary diagnostics in the effort to find and fight the disease. Their results are published by the journal Gastroenterology.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common type of cancer of the pancreas, is also the most lethal of all cancers, with a mortality rate that is approximately the same as the rate of incidence. A “silent killer,” pancreatic cancer produces its typical symptoms — abdominal pain and jaundice — only in the advanced stage of the disease, making it difficult to fight. Fewer than 5 percent of those diagnosed with the disease live for five years, and full remission is very rare, according to the World Health Organization.
“Worldwide, the prevalence of pancreatic cancer is so high, and the disease is so deadly, that it calls out for a reliable means of early diagnosis,” said the study’s senior investigator, Dr. David Wong, D.M.D., D.M.Sc., UCLA’s Felix and Mildred Yip Professor of Dentistry and associate dean of research at the dental school. “The ability to implement safe, cost-effective, widespread screening could be the answer to saving thousands of lives each year — and that is what we are after.”
“David Wong and his team at the dental school have demonstrated the usefulness of saliva in detecting oral cancer,” said co-first author Dr. James Farrell, M.D., an associate professor in the UCLA Division of Digestive Diseases and director of the Pancreatic Diseases Program at UCLA. “As a clinician-scientist who manages patients with all stages of pancreatic cancer, I was eager to work with them to explore the possibilities it could yield in diagnosing this disease.”
In the study, the researchers successfully linked changes in the molecular signatures found in human saliva to the presence of early-stage pancreatic cancer.
“Our recent findings underscore the potential for salivary diagnostics to play a pivotal role in the detection of systemic cancers and diseases,” said Lei Zhang, Ph.D., an assistant researcher at the UCLA School of Dentistry Dental Research Institute and co-first author of the study. In addition to Wong, Farrell and Zhang, the research team included Hui Zhou, David Akin and No-Hee Park of the UCLA School of Dentistry; David Elashoff of the UCLA School of Public Health; and David Chia of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Wong, Chia and Park are also members of UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Source: Science Daily