Review paper: DNA delivery strategies to promote periodontal regeneration.

Periodontal diseases are caused by bacteria with an inflammatory component that result in the loss of bone and soft tissue around the neck of the teeth. Recent therapies allow clinicians to regenerate some of the lost structures of the periodontium. Regeneration of these lost supporting structures is a highly orchestrated process, involving various cellular and molecular players, leading to the complete restoration of the periodontium (the tooth-supporting apparatus). The introduction of growth factors has positively influenced the clinical outcome of the existing regenerative procedures but the supra-physiological doses and the high cost associated with these growth factors can be drawbacks. Gene therapy may offer some interesting advantages to current therapies. In the field of periodontology, several studies have been conducted to explore the efficacy of delivering the DNA of key growth factors using viral vectors in both periodontal and peri-implant bone regeneration. Relatively few studies have explored the application of nonviral gene therapy in periodontal regeneration. This article is aimed at reviewing the studies conducted so far using viral and nonviral gene delivery approaches to achieve periodontal and peri-implant bone regeneration.