Glossary

Regenerate maturation refers to the completion of both mineralization and remodeling of the regenerate tissue. In dentistry and oral surgery, tissue regeneration is an essential part of implant success and patient recovery. Many types of tissues are affected in dental procedures and require proper integration and regeneration in order to support the dental prostheses. These tissues include bone, pulp, enamel, dentin, root tissue, periodontal ligaments, gum tissue, and other oral tissues and support structures surrounding the teeth. The importance of proper regeneration has led to many studies on topics including faster regeneration, new ways to promote regeneration, regeneration time of specific tissues, and the use of stem cells to increase the rate of regeneration. There are some dental procedures, such as implants following bone grafts, that cannot be completed until the regeneration process is complete. For example, a bone graft that has not undergone osseointegration will not be stable enough to support the new implant.

Regeneration is the reproduction or reconstitution of a lost or injured part to its original state. In the body, regeneration takes place as part of the natural healing process as cells undergo mitosis to repair or replace the cells damaged or lost due to injury or pathology. By following the genetic instructions held in the cells’ DNA, the body is able to regenerate many types of damaged tissues and bone to restore function. In dentistry, advances are being made that may allow for regenerative therapies that guide the body to replace or repair the oral tissues and structures without the need for implants and prostheses. Such regeneration may take place due to the introduction of a patient’s stem cells, the placement of bioactive scaffolds, and the triggering of growth factors. Dental regeneration procedures have seen success in encouraging partial regeneration though whole tooth regeneration is not yet possible.

Regional acceleratory phenomenon, or RAP, is a local response to a stimulus in which tissues form two to ten times more rapidly than the normal regeneration process. The duration and intensity of RAP are directly proportional to the kind and amount of stimulus and the site where it was produced. Each type of tissue has its own response to RAP as well as its own time period in which RAP is experienced. However, regardless of tissue type, RAP usually lasts approximately four months in humans though it can take up to two years to subside. While no new processes in tissue formation appear to occur during RAP, a significant decrease in the normal time required for healing takes place. The stimuli that can cause RAP include fractures, injuries, inflammation or inflammatory diseases, and infections. In dentistry, RAP can be stimulated by tooth extractions, implants, and periodontal flaps.