Peri-Implant And Periapical Oral Bone Defects: Clinical Strategies To Achieve Alveolar Bone Stability And Experimental Bone Regeneration Procedures

Peri implant and periapical bone defects are widespread in the world population. Considering the high number of implant placement and root canal treatment performed every year, resolution of these bone defects will be of predominant interest in the next future. The present project has several aims: The first part of the project aimed to investigate how and what factors affect peri implant bone remodeling process. Microchemical analysis of the peri implant bone interface of retrieved human dental implants was performed. In addition, prospective clinical studies were conducted to evaluate the factors mostly related to peri implant bone loss. The second part of the project aimed to evaluate chemical physical and micromorphological properties of hydraulic calcium silicates based materials (CaSi), which gained a particular attention in the endodontic field. Use of these materials claimed to resolve several complex endodontic complications, however few information is present in literature. These materials were compared with some “gold standard” bioinert materials. Given the attractive biointeractive properties of CaSi based materials, the last part of the study will focus on the design and characterization of new mineral based scaffolds, aimed to be applied in future bone regeneration procedures. Scaffolds, composed of a polymeric matrix were doped with CaSi and calcium phosphates, in order to increase the materials biointeractive properties. A complete characterization of their chemical-physical-mechanical-thermal properties was performed, as well as the evaluation of apatite forming ability (bioactivity) and biocompatibility of these mineral based scaffolds. The combination of Human Periapical-cysts Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hPC-MSC) as a potential strategy to achieve periapical bone regeneration was evaluated. Finally, the angiogenesis potential of these scaffolds was investigated through the growth and proliferation of porcine vascular wall mesenchymal stem cells (pvw-MSC) was performed.