A novel approach to regenerating periodontal tissue by grafting autologous cultured periosteum.

In the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery, tissue-engineering techniques have been found useful in regenerating lost tissues. Periodontal disease causes severe destruction of periodontal tissue, including the alveolar bone. In this study we attempted to regenerate canine periodontal tissue defects by grafting autologous cultured membrane derived from the periosteum. Under appropriate culture conditions, periosteal cells produce enough extracellular matrix to form sheets. Periosteum specimens were peeled from the mandibular body of adult hybrid dogs and were cultured until cells formed membrane. ALP activity was measured to determine an optimal time for grafting. The cultured periosteum (CP) was grafted and sutured on a mechanically made Class III furcation defect in the 4th mandibular premolars. After 3 months, the samples were harvested and observed radiologically and histologically. In cases of CP, the bone defects were regenerated and filled with newly formed hard tissue, whereas in the controls the defects remained. These results show that our novel treatment is effective in regenerating alveolar bone for the treatment of periodontal disease.