Regenerative medicine in oral and maxillofacial surgery using bone morphogenetic proteins

Kazuhisa Bessho

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan

There is a long history of tissue restoration in the field of dentistry with autograft and biomaterials used frequently in clinic situations. However, serious problems that neither can easily solve remain. A new field of tissue engineering has recently developed with treatment using various cytokines. Further, in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery, induction of bone, cartilage and teeth etc. by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) as a regenerative medicine has been considered. However, though the problems BMP should resolve have diminished, BMP is still not widely used, although clinical use has been worldwide for about ten-year. We have performed basic research and preclinical study in respect to the various problems that needed resolution. In this lecture, I would like to introduce the outline of BMP briefly, then talk about the bone regeneration, then to prospect of application to clinical practice.