DOI: 10.36347/sjds.2018.v05i07.006

Pages: 383-386

The human periodontium is a uniquely complex vital structure, supporting and anchoring the teeth in their alveolar sockets, thereby playing a decisive role in tooth homeostasis and function. Animal models and cell cultures have contributed new knowledge in biological sciences, including periodontology. Periodontitis is a chronic immunoinflammatory disease initiated by complex subgingival biofilm, containing several putative periodontal pathogens. Although cultured cells can be used to study physiological processes that occur during the pathogenesis of periodontitis, the complex host response fundamentally responsible for this disease cannot be reproduced in vitro. Among the animal kingdom, rodents, rabbits, pigs, dogs, and nonhuman primates have been used to model human periodontitis, each with advantages and disadvantages. Experimental models have been developed in order to reproduce major periodontal diseases (gingivitis, periodontitis), their pathogenesis and to investigate new surgical techniques. Therefore, this review article describes in detail the merits, demerits and application of various animal models and their contribution to periodontal research.