Cell-to-cell communication : periodontal regeneration

Unlike bone, which is constantly undergoing resorption followed by bone apposition, teeth are not subject to remodeling. They are remarkably resistant to physiologic remodeling processes. The reason for this is found in the periodontium and cementum. The mechanisms that take effect in this area and the effectiveness of the periodontal system -- consisting of gingiva, alveolar bone, periodontium, and cementum -- after injury can be visualized in this scientific 3D film. The visualization of these complex processes is of great interest for academic teaching as well as for the clinician, as the cellular interactions are presented in this context of four phases. For the first time, scanning electron microscope images of real cells can be visualized alongside computer-animated simulations, allowing the comparison of their char.