Dental Student Harvard School of Dental Medicine WEST ROXBURY, Massachusetts, United States
Biomarkers are biological molecules found in blood or bodily fluid that can be developed into a clinically usable test that will improve the process of diagnosing, predicting, and identifying the best treatment for each individual patient. This table clinic is aimed to investigate the potential use of biomarkers as more accurate diagnostic tools in endodontic treatment. Historically, endodontic pulpal diagnosis relies on clinical screening combined with patient’s presenting symptoms. However, neither these traditional diagnostic tools nor the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) provide accurate information about the true histological status of pulp or periapical tissues. Previous studies have shown that gingival cervical fluid (GCF) is a reliable, non-invasive, and site-specific source of diagnostic biomarkers of periodontal diseases. GCF is collected from gingival crevice using filter paper strips while periapical tissue fluid is collected from the tooth apex using a paper point during endodontic treatment. Furthermore, Baeza et al demonstrated that both chronic periodontitis and asymptomatic apical periodontitis induce quantitative changes in GCF composition. The deterministic biomarkers that were analyzed included matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), interleukins (IL), osteoprotegerin (OPG). The MSD V-Plex Plus, Proinflammatory Panel can provide screening of various proinflammatory cytokines and biomarkers of bone resorption. In establishing the connection between biomarkers in the GCF and periapical fluid, dentists would be able to monitor the periapical status of endodontic-treated teeth over time and make opportunistic treatment interventions.
