Cell therapy with allogenic canine periodontal ligament-derived cells in periodontal regeneration of critical size defects.

AIM: The objective of this in vivo experimental study to evaluate the regenerative potential of a cell therapy combining allogenic periodontal ligament-derived cells within a xenogeneic bone substitute in a similar experimental model. METHODS: In nine beagle dogs, critical size 6-mm supra-alveolar periodontal defects were created around the PIII and PIV. The resulting supra-alveolar defects were randomly treated with either 1.4 x 10(6) allogenic canine periodontal ligament-derived cells seeded on de-proteinized bovine bone mineral with 10% collagen (DBBM-C) (test group) or DBBM-C without cells (control group). Specimens were obtained at 3 months, and histological outcomes were studied. RESULTS: The histological analysis showed that total furcation closure occurred very seldom in both groups, being the extent of periodontal regeneration located in the apical third of the defect. The calculated amount of periodontal regeneration at the furcation area was comparable in both the test and control groups (1.93 +/- 1.14 mm (17%) versus 2.35 +/- 1.74 mm (22%), respectively (p = .37). Similarly, there were no significant differences in the amount of new cementum formation 4.49 +/- 1.56 mm (41%) versus 4.97 +/- 1.05 mm (47%), respectively (p = .45). CONCLUSIONS: This experimental study was unable to demonstrate the added value of allogenic cell therapy in supra-crestal periodontal regeneration.