Clinical research studies have been carried out to evaluate the efficacy of various bone graft materials available in the market. These materials, either from natural or synthetic sources, were used in infrabony periodontal defects.

Demineralised freeze dried bone allografts, bioactive glass and HTR polymer are some of the materials which have been evaluated in the department. Periobone-G, a new bone graft material evolved and developed by Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, has also been assessed. Research work has also been initiated with BARC, Mumbai on laser deposition of a new ceramic coating on Titanium implants.

The administration of antibiotics locally into the diseased pocket environment has also been extensively researched with the assistance of the Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences research team. Degradable local drug delivery devices have been developed by this team indigenously and are being used in the management of periodontitis with appreciable and promising results. A pilot study on the use of ‘Propolis’ a bees wax derivative, has been conducted in this regard.

Exploration into the new emerging areas of periodontal medicine, which explains the influence of periodontal disease on systemic health, is gaining importance. As an initial step, the effect of periodontal disease on the outcome of pregnancy has been evaluated. There has also been a thrust towards research on anti-oxidants and periodontal disease.

Research has been carried out in collaboration with the Departments of Radiobiology and Biotechnology in areas such as fibroblast culture techniques and genetic polymorphisms in periodontal diseases. Research has been carried out on the isolation and characterisation of stem cells from the human dental pulp and periodontal ligament, in collaboration with the Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Manipal Hospital, Bangalore. Stem cells from both periodontal ligament and pulp have been cultured upto passage 6. Indirect immunofluorescence has confirmed the presence of stem cell markers in both the tissues.