Localized Delivery of Growth Factors for Periodontal Tissue Regeneration: Role, Strategies, and Perspectives Fa-Ming Chen, 1Ã Richard M. Shelton, 2 Yan Jin, 3 Iain L.C. Chapple 4 1 Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China 2 Biomaterials Unit, School of Dentistry, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B4 6NN, UK 3 Department of Oral Histology and Pathology and Center for Tissue Engineering, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China 4 Periodontal Research Group and Periodontology Unit, School of Dentistry, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B4 6NN, UK Published online 3 March 2009 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/med.20144 . Abstract: Difficulties associated with achieving predictable periodontal regeneration, means that novel techniques need to be developed in order to regenerate the extensive soft and hard tissue destruction that results from periodontitis. Localized delivery of growth factors to the periodontium is an emerging and versatile therapeutic approach, with the potential to become a powerful tool in future regenerative periodontal therapy. Optimized delivery regimes and well-defined release kinetics appear to be logical prerequisites for safe and efficacious clinical application of growth factors and to avoid unwanted side effects and toxicity. While adequate concentrations of growth factor(s) need to be appropriately localized, delivery vehicles are also expected to possess properties such as protein protection, precision in controlled release, biocompatibility and biodegradability, self-regulated therapeutic activity, poten- tial for multiple delivery, and good cell/tissue penetration. Here, current knowledge, recent advances, and future possibilities of growth factor delivery strategies are outlined for periodontal regeneration. First, the role of those growth factors that have been implicated in the periodontal healing/regeneration process, general requirements for their delivery, and the different material types available are described. A detailed discussion follows of current strategies for the selection of devices for localized growth factor delivery, with particular emphasis placed upon their advantages and dis- advantages and future prospects for ongoing studies in reconstructing the tooth supporting apparatus. & 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 29, No. 3, 472--513, 2009 Contract grant sponsor: National Natural Science Foundation of China; contract grant number: NSFC 30700173; Contract grant sponsors: International Association for Dental Research (IADR)/Philips Oral Healthcare Young Investigator Research Grant 2007. Ã A research fellow (11. 2007--10. 2008) in Periodontal Research Group, School of Dentistry, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham B4 6NN, UK. Correspondence to: Fa-Ming Chen, Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University,145th West Chang-le Road, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China. E-mail: cfmsunhh@fmmu.edu.cn Medicinal Research Reviews, Vol. 29, No. 3, 472--513, 2009 & 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.