Guidance on the assessment of the functionality of biomaterials for periodontal tissue regeneration: Methodologies and testing procedures

Abstract

Innovative biomaterials and tissue engineering strategies show great promise in regenerating periodontal tissues. This guidance provides an overview and detailed recommendations for evaluating the biological functionality of these new biomaterials in vitro, focusing on mineralization, immunomodulatory effects, cellular differentiation, and angiogenesis. Additionally, it discusses the use of in vivo experimental models that mimic periodontitis and scrutinizes methods such as osteogenic differentiation, immunomodulation, and anti-inflammatory responses to assess the effectiveness of these biomaterials in promoting periodontal tissue reconstruction. The guidance also addresses translating these findings to clinical applications, including using large animal models. This article aims to provide general recommendations for assessing the biological performance of novel materials and scaffold-based strategies using in vitro and in vivo (animal models), examining their advantages, disadvantages, and methodologies to guide effective research and clinical translation of regenerative treatments in periodontology.