The goal of this study is to evaluate if dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) delivered into intrabony defects in a collagen scaffold would enhance the clinical and radiographic parameters of periodontal regeneration.

In this randomized controlled trial, 29 chronic periodontitis patients presenting one deep intrabony defect and requiring extraction of one vital tooth were consecutively enrolled. Defects were randomly assigned to test or control treatments which both consisted of the use of minimally invasive surgical technique. The dental pulp of the extracted tooth was mechanically dissociated to obtain micro-grafts rich in autologous DPSCs. Test sites (n=15) were filled with micro-grafts seeded onto collagen sponge, whereas control sites (n=14) with collagen sponge alone. Clinical and radiographic parameters were recorded at baseline, 6 and 12 months postoperatively.

Inclusion Criteria:

• diagnosis of advanced chronic periodontitis
• FMPS<20%
• FMBS<20%
• infrabony defect >2mm
• Probing depth >5mm
• presence of 1 vital and intact tooth requiring an extraction as autologous source of DPSCs

Exclusion Criteria:

• smoking
• controindicazion for periodontal surgery
• systemic diseases affecting periodontal healing
• pregnancy an lactation
• fixed orthodontic appliance
• history of periodontal surgery at the experimental teeth
• prostethic restorations at the experimental teeth
• furcation defects