The results were reported in the November issue of Journal of Periodontology.
Periodontal disease is the major cause of tooth loss in adults.
Bacteria infect the gums surrounding and supporting the teeth and eventually erode the bone that holds them. The ultimate goal of periodontal therapy is to rejuvenate the tissue attachment and regenerate lost bone. Clinical studies have shown that, in some cases, bone regenerates better with the help of grafts, but currently available grafting materials all have limitations, said Robert E. Cohen, associate professor of periodontology and oral biology at UB and lead researcher on the study. The patient's own bone is the most successful grafting material, he said, but obtaining it requires additional invasive surgery. Patients frequently refuse materials from human bone banks because of the chance, albeit exceedingly small, of disease transmission, Cohen noted.