rhPDGF-BB+β-TCP is safe and effective in the treatment of periodontal defects. It increases bone formation and soft tissue healing (clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT00496847; CTRI No.: CTRI/2008/091/000152).

Background:Attempts to successfully regenerate lost alveolar bone have always been a clinician’s dream. Angular defects, at least, have a fairer chance, but the same cannot be said about horizontal bone loss. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of horizontal alveolar bone loss and vertical bone defects in periodontal patients; and later, to correlate it with the treatment modalities available in the literature for horizontal and vertical bone defects.Materials and Methods:The study was conducted in two parts. Part I was the radiographic evaluation of 150 orthopantomographs (OPGs) (of patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis and seeking periodontal care), which were digitized and read using the AutoCAD 2006 software. All the periodontitis-affected teeth were categorized as teeth with vertical defects (if the defect angle was ≤45° and defect depth was ≥3 mm) or as having horizontal bone loss. Part II of the study comprised search of the literature on treatment modalities for horizontal and vertical bone loss in four selected periodontal journals.Results:Out of the 150 OPGs studied, 54 (36%) OPGs showed one or more vertical defects. Totally, 3,371 teeth were studied, out of which horizontal bone loss was found in 3,107 (92.2%) teeth, and vertical defects were found only in 264 (7.8%) of the teeth, which was statistically significant (P<.001). Search of the selected journals revealed 477 papers have addressed the treatment modalities for vertical and horizontal types of bone loss specifically. Out of the 477 papers, 461 (96.3%) have addressed vertical bone loss, and 18 (3.7%) have addressed treatment options for horizontal bone loss. Two papers have addressed both types of bone loss and are included in both categories.Conclusion:Horizontal bone loss is more prevalent than vertical bone loss but has been sidelined by researchers as very few papers have been published on the subject of regenerative treatment modalities for this type of bone loss. This study should be an impetus for greater attention to an otherwise ubiquitous periodontal challenge.

Introduction: The oral mucosa serves as a protective barrier against trauma, pathogens and carcinogenic agents. It can be affected by a wide variety of lesions and conditions, some of which may be harmless or with serious complications. Identification and institution of proper treatment of these lesions are an important part of total oral health care. Knowledge of clinical characteristics of oral mucosal lesions such as morphology, location, and duration helps in proper diagnosis and in identifying the type of oral mucosal lesion. The present study was designed to analyze prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in elderly population. Materials and methods: A descriptive pro forma-based study was conducted among the elderly patients visiting the Saveetha Dental College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Elderly patients within the age 55–90 years were considered as subjects in this study. The pro forma contained basic details of patients such as name, age, sex, occupation, chief complaint, past medical and dental history, family history and personal habits (oral hygiene habits and oral habits). On intra oral examination the characteristic features of oral mucosal lesions were recorded. Result: Seventy five subjects participated in the study. In 75 subjects, there were 55 males and 20 females. The patients ranged from 55 to 90 years old and were categorised into four age groups: 55–60 years, 60–70 years, 70–80 years and 80–90 years. The most common lesions were oral submucous fibrosis (21.33%), smoker's palate (20%), leukoplakia (14.66%) and tobacco pouch keratosis (10.66%). Conclusion: The prevalence of oral habits related lesions in elderly population are more in Indian population because of more exposure to tobacco products in old age and the prevalence of non oral habits related lesions are because of vitamin, dietary deficiency and stress. Hence, proper support and care of aged individuals will help the dentist in proper diagnosis and treatment planning programs.

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