Bone morphogenetic proteins in periodontal tissue regeneration

Progress in understanding the role of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) in craniofacial and tooth development, the demonstration of stem cells in dental pulp, and accumulating knowledge on biomaterial scaffolds have set the stage for tissue engineering and regenerative therapy of the craniofacial complex. Furthermore, the recent approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA; Rockville, MD, USA) of recombinant human BMPs for accelerating bone fusion in slow-healing fractures indicates that this protein family may prove useful in designing regenerative treatments in dental applications. In the near term, these advances are likely to be applied to endodontics and periodontal surgery; ultimately, they may facilitate approaches to regenerating whole teeth for use in tooth replacement. Early on, scientists focused on creating a suitable environment that favored the innate potential for regeneration. However, complex clinical protocols and extended treatments, in addition to inconsistent results, often brought treatment protocols out of favor. Predictable outcomes and minimally invasive protocols have become fundamental to clinicians and patients. Thus, novel regenerative concepts with improved or superior outcomes, predictability, and minimally invasive protocols are being developed and considered.