Biological mediators of periodontitis and oral disease: new insights

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the periodontium involving interactions between bacterial products, numerous cell populations and inflammatory mediators. It is generally accepted that periodontitis is initiated by complex and diverse microbial biofilms which form on the teeth, i.e. dental plaque. Substances released from this biofilm such as lipopolysaccharides, antigens and other virulence factors, gain access to the gingival tissue and initiate an inflammatory and immune response, leading to the activation of host defence cells. As a result of cellular activation, inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, chemokines, arachidonic acid metabolites and proteolytic enzymes, collectively contribute to tissue destruction and bone resorption. The present special issue is aimed at summarising the recent studies on the pathogenesis of periodontitis, with the main focus on inflammatory mediators and their role in periodontal disease. Both pre-clinical and clinical studies are invited to be submitted, as well as narrative or systematic reviews, concerning the characterization of such biomaterials/biological mediators and their clinical applications for the regeneration of intraosseous periodontal defects and furcations, for soft tissue reconstruction (periodontal plastic surgery), for the preservation of post-extraction alveolar sockets and for the reconstruction of lateral and/or vertical bone defects before or contextually to dental implant placement for rehabilitative purposes.