Recent advances in hydrogel-based platforms for periodontal tissue regeneration

Periodontitis is a severe and progressive inflammatory disease triggered by microbial infection, destroying essential tooth-supporting structures, including the alveolar bone, gingiva, periodontal ligament, and cementum. While traditional therapies like scaling and root planning can effectively manage disease progression, they often fail to restore the natural architecture and functionality of periodontal tissues due to the limited regenerative capacity of these structures. Periodontal tissue engineering has emerged as a promising solution to this challenge. This technology is based on multifunctional biomaterials, especially hydrogels, for restoring damaged alveolar bone, periodontal ligament, and root cementum. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the properties required for hydrogels to facilitate periodontal tissue regeneration. Moreover, it discusses the use of hydrogels as delivery systems for cells, drugs, and growth factors, as well as their role in photothermal therapy and periodontal tissue regeneration. Finally, the review addresses the current challenges associated with the use of hydrogels and outlines the potential future directions for integrating hydrogels into periodontitis treatment and diagnosis.