Morphogenetic behavior of periodontium on inorganic implant materials: an experimental study of canines.

Periodontal ligament derived cells have the potential to regenerate all the components of the periodontium on the surface of inorganic implants, as well as on dentin. This suggests the hypothesis that the nature of the material affects the migration, proliferation, and differentiation of the progenitor cells for periodontium formation. To clarify this hypothesis, we evaluated the material-specific morphogenetic potential of periodontium-derived cells using an animal model for inducing cell migration from the functioning periodontium onto bioactive (hydroxyapatite, HA) and bioinert (titanium alloy, TA) material. Histologically, total periodontium including calcified cementum-like tissue only formed on HA and not on TA. Morphometrically, however, the length of fibrous connective tissue formed on HA was the same as on TA. This suggests that the bioactivity of the material does not affect the migration of periodontium-derived cells but strongly influences cell differentiation. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.