[Translational Medicine and its application in stem cell research for periodontal regeneration]

Translational Medicine is an evolutional concept that encompasses the rapid translation of basic research for use in clinical disease diagnosis, prevention, treatment and finally in public health promotion. It follows the idea "from bench to bedside and back", and hence relies on cooperation between laboratory research and clinical care. Translation process is a complex process that requires both research and non-research activities. During the past ten years, there has been intense interest in the development of new clinical procedures, therapeutic molecules, and prototypes based on translational medicine concept including dentistry. Periodontitis is a globally prevalent inflammatory disease that causes the destruction of the tooth supporting apparatus. Current methods to reconstitute lost periodontal structures have been shown to have limited and variable outcomes. Stem cell therapy can be used for periodontal regeneration and it is also one of the hot topics in translational regenerative medicine. In this article, recent advances and current status of translational medicine in stem cell therapy in periodontal regeneration field were reviewed. However, a number of biological, technical and clinical hurdles must be overcome before stem cell therapy could be used in clinics.