The periodontal ligament is a fibrous joint that connects the tooth to the surrounding bone in the jaw. As a tissue, it is both highly regenerative and responsive to the load placed on it during biting and chewing. At the same time, the periodontal ligament is vulnerable to corrosive bacterial infection that can cause loose and lost teeth.
This breakdown of the periodontal ligament is one form of periodontal disease. While it happens mostly in old age, it can occur in young people, too, and is particularly associated with socioeconomic populations that have poorer access to dental services.
Naturally, periodontists and other dental care providers are interested in ways to promote regeneration of the periodontal ligament. To do that, they need to understand what the cells that form these tissues experience and how they work together to turn on the repair process when things go wrong.
To-date, much of this research has been limited to two-dimensional models. Now, a team led by UW researchers from the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM) and the School of Dentistry have used a sophisticated 3D modeling system, originally developed to measure the force of beating heart cells, to reveal new insights about the cellular dynamics at work in the periodontal ligament. Their findings appear in The Journal of Dental Research.
