Thanks to the recent advances of three-dimensional printing technologies the design and the fabrication of a large variety of scaffold geometries was made possible. The surgeon has the availability of a wide number of scaffold micro-architectures thus needing adequate guidelines for the choice of the best one to be implanted in a patient-specific anatomic region. We propose a mechanobiology-based optimization algorithm capable of determining, for bone tissue scaffolds with an assigned geometry, the optimal value of the compression load to which they should be subjected, i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Biol Regul Homeost Agents
March 2017
Orthodontic tooth movement results from the response of the periodontal tissue to orthodontic force, which leads to modeling and remodeling of the surrounding alveolar bone. The response is considered to occur through the activation of specific signaling pathways, many of which are known, all acting to ultimately result in tooth movement. Much is known about the actions of these two cells, and the signaling pathways that affect them, both in bone and orthodontic literature, however, to date, little work has been carried out to examine the effect of the insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBP) in orthodontics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been the focus of recent studies as being assumed responsible for promoting photostimulatory and photobiomodulatory effects in vivo and in vitro, increasing cell metabolism, improving cell regeneration and invoking an anti-inflammatory response. A positive effect of LLLT on the bone proliferation of some cell types has been observed, but little is known about its effect on dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). Here, we accurately describe the technical procedure to isolate mesenchymal DPSCs, and assay their osteogenic capacity when irradiated with an LLLT source.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTechniques of bone reconstructive surgery are largely based on conventional, non-cell-based therapies that rely on the use of durable materials from outside the patient's body. In contrast to conventional materials, bone tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field that applies the principles of engineering and life sciences towards the development of biological substitutes that restore, maintain, or improve bone tissue function. Bone tissue engineering has led to great expectations for clinical surgery or various diseases that cannot be solved with traditional devices.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Dubowitz syndrome is a very rare, autosomal recessive disease characterized by microcephaly, growth retardation, a high sloping forehead, facial asymmetry, blepharophimosis, sparse hair and eyebrows, low-set ears and mental retardation. Symptoms vary between patients, but other characteristics include a soft high-pitched voice, dental and craniofacial abnormalities, partial webbing of the fingers and toes, palate deformations, genital abnormalities, eczema, hyperactivity, preference for concrete over abstract thinking, language difficulties and an aversion to crowds.
Case Presentation: We describe the craniofacial and dental characteristics of a 12-year-old Caucasian Italian boy with both the typical and less common findings of Dubowitz syndrome.