Objective To investigate the effect of astragalus polysaccharides(AP) on chitosan／polylactic acid(AP／C／PLA)scaffolds and marrow stromal cells(MSCs)tissue engineering on periodontal regeneration of horizontal alveolar bone defects in dogs． Methods MSCs were isolatedfrom the bone marrow and then cultured in conditioned medium to be induced to become osteogenic．The MSCs were harvested and implanted into AP／C／PLA and C／PLA scaffolds．A horizontal alveolar bone defect(5 mm depth, 2 mm width)were produced surgically in the buccal side of the mandibular premolar 3 and 4 of 10 dogs．The defects were randomly divided into 4 groups(n=10)：Group A, root planning only(blank contro1); group B, AP／C／PLA with conditioned medium(medium contro1);group C, C／PLA with MSCs(scaffolds contro1); and group D, AP／C／PLA with MSCs(experimental group)．Eight weeks after surgery， block sections of the defects were collected for gross, histological and X-ray analysis. Results MSCs induced in vitro exhibited an osteogenic phenotype with expressingcollagen I and alkaline phosphatase． X-ray film observation showed that the bone density and height had no changes in group A; in group B, the bone density was increased to a certain extent and furcation area reached a few height, but no height was increased in interdental septum; in group C，the bone density was increased and furcation area nearly reached the native height,but interdental septum reached a few height;in group D,the bone density was increased significantly and furcation area and interdental septum reached the native height. Histological evaluation showed that there was greater tissue formation in group D than that in groups A, B and C, in which new alveolar bone, new cementum, periodontal ligament with Sharpey’s fibers, and new bone tissue was similar to native periodontal tissues. Ingroup A，B, C and D respectively, the amount of new alveolar bone regeneration was 0.83±0.30, 1.46±0.55, 2.67±0.26 and 2.90±0.41 mm; new cementum regeneration was 0.78±0.45，1.30±0.60，2.29±0.18 and 2.57±0.22 mm; the amount of connective tissue adhesion was 0.80±0.22，1.33±0.34，2.23±0.42 and 2.64±0.27 mm; all showing significant differenecs between group D and groups A, Band C (Plt;0.05)．Conclusion The technology of tissue engineering with AP／C／PLAscaffolds and induced MSCs may contribute to periodontal regeneration．
Fluid shear stress (FSS) caused by interstitial fluid flow within trabecular bone cavities under mechanical loading is the key factor of stimulating biological response of bone cells. Therefore, to investigate the FSS distribution within cancellous bone is important for understanding the transduction process of mechanical forces within alveolar bone and the regulatory mechanism at cell level during tooth development and orthodontics. In the present study, the orthodontic tooth movement experiment on rats was first performed. Finite element model of tooth-periodontal ligament-alveolar bone based on micro computed tomography (micro-CT) images was established and the strain field in alveolar bone was analyzed. An ideal model was constructed mimicking the porous structure of actual rat alveolar bone. Fluid flow in bone was predicted by using fluid-solid coupling numerical simulation. Dynamic occlusal loading with orthodontic tension loading or compression loading was applied on the ideal model. The results showed that FSS on the surface of the trabeculae along occlusal direction was higher than that along perpendicular to occlusal direction, and orthodontic force has little effect on FSS within alveolar bone. This study suggests that the orientation of occlusal loading can be changed clinically by adjusting the shape of occlusal surface, then FSS with different level could be produced on trabecular surface, which further activates the biological response of bone cells and finally regulates the remodeling of alveolar bone.
In the study of oral orthodontics, the dental tissue models play an important role in finite element analysis results. Currently, the commonly used alveolar bone models mainly have two kinds: the uniform and the non-uniform models. The material of the uniform model was defined with the whole alveolar bone, and each mesh element has a uniform mechanical property. While the material of the elements in non-uniform model was differently determined by the Hounsfield unit (HU) value of computed tomography (CT) images where the element was located. To investigate the effects of different alveolar bone models on the biomechanical responses of periodontal ligament (PDL), a clinical patient was chosen as the research object, his mandibular canine, PDL and two kinds of alveolar bone models were constructed, and intrusive force of 1 N and moment of 2 Nmm were exerted on the canine along its root direction, respectively, which were used to analyze the hydrostatic stress and the maximal logarithmic principal strain of PDL under different loads. Research results indicated that the mechanical responses of PDL had been affected by alveolar bone models, no matter the canine translation or rotation. Compared to the uniform model, if the alveolar bone was defined as the non-uniform model, the maximal stress and strain of PDL were decreased by 13.13% and 35.57%, respectively, when the canine translation along its root direction; while the maximal stress and strain of PDL were decreased by 19.55% and 35.64%, respectively, when the canine rotation along its root direction. The uniform alveolar bone model will induce orthodontists to choose a smaller orthodontic force. The non-uniform alveolar bone model can better reflect the differences of bone characteristics in the real alveolar bone, and more conducive to obtain accurate analysis results.