Review Article
Pushparani DS
Abstract
Wound healing is a highly ordered and well-coordinated process that involves several sequential phases of inflammation, haemostasis, proliferation, granular tissue formation, matrix formation and remodeling of the injured tissue. It is characterized by dynamic and reciprocal interactions among components of the extracellular matrix, growth factors, and cells. Although the proper healing of periodontal tissues is regulated by many factors like blood cells, epithelial and connective tissue cells, inflammatory cells and many soluble factors, mainly coagulation factors, growth factors and cytokines, the molecular mechanisms involved in the process of wound healing, still remain unclear. The interaction between periodontal pathogens and inflammatory process is regulated by a sequential network of cytokines which are essential for most periodontal tissue breakdown, leading to clinical signs of disease. The cytokine network takes control over inflammatory mechanisms in order to amplify or suppress tissue reactions in periodontal pathogenesis. Extracellular matrix macromolecules or some of their specific domains may play a major role in wound healing. Enhanced knowledge of these relations may suggest new therapeutic targets in wound healing process. In this review, mainly the pathophysiology of periodontal wound healing is highlighted.