| Periodontal disease is a common chronic inflammatory disease, which if left untreated, can cause periodontal tissue breakdown. The periodontal complex is a micron-scaled, tooth-supporting structure with a complicated topology, which makes it difficult to predict and quantify periodontal tissue destruction. Unlike conventional assessment methods, 3-D micro-computed tomography provides very accurate, precise high resolution images of the periodontal topology.;Using natural spatiotemporal landmarks to create a region-of-interest from the roof-of-furcation to the root-apex, volumetric image analysis of the bone-tooth interface was performed The results demonstrated excellent examiner reproducibility and reliability (ICC>0.99 and CV<1.5%) for both linear and volumetric bone parameters. In an orthodontic tooth movement study, micro-CT quantified the activity of osteoprotegerin stimulation to prevent bone resorption and tooth mobility. Human alveolar bone core biopsies were analyzed to obtain mineral tissue density profiles in order to predict dental implant stability. Because of this high reproducibility and reliability, other wide-reaching applications have potential for predicting periodontal therapy outcomes, orthodontic tooth movement, as well as evaluation of clinical dental implant stability.;A major challenge in periodontal tissue engineering is the control of periodontal tissue neogenesis; micron-scaled and complicated multi-interface regeneration with a functional architecture. To promote this compartmentalized, multiple tissue regeneration with perpendicularly-oriented periodontal ligament fiber, a multi-layered hybrid scaffold was designed and manufactured using the rapid prototyping technique. To produce a periodontium-like environment, the polymeric hybrid scaffold was assembled with a periodontal cell/tissue guidable micro-architecture; a highly porous bone region, a vertically-oriented PDL architecture, and a human tooth dentin slice. This complex was subcutaneously transplanted with untreated human PDL cells and BMP-7 transduced human gingival fibroblast cells using the ectopic model system. In spite of non-biomechanical loading conditions, this approach resulted in periodontal-structural similarity. There was a perpendicular/oblique orientation of the fibrous connective PDL cells/tissues to the dentin surface, and mineralized tissue formation without any mineralized tissue formation in the PDL interface of the hybrid scaffold at both the 3 and 6 weeks.;This dissertation study provides potential for functional restoration of tissue interface neogenesis applications and shows promise for both pre-clinical and clinical applications for translational regenerative medicine. |
