Bone Regeneration

Edited by Haim Tal, ISBN 978-953-51-0487-2, 340 pages, Publisher: InTech, Chapters published April 04, 2012 under CC BY 3.0 license

Bone is a specialized connective tissue, most prominently characterized by its mineralized organic matrix that imparts the physical properties that allow bone tissue to resist load, to support functional organs, and to protect highly sensitive body parts. Bone loss and bone damage may occur as a result of genetic conditions, infectious diseases, tumours, and trauma. Bone healing and repair, involves integrative activity of native tissues and living cells, and lends itself to the incorporation of naturally derived or biocompatible synthetic scaffolds, aimed at replacing missing or damaged osseous tissues. There are several modalities of bone regeneration including tissue engineering, guided bone regeneration, distraction ontogenesis, and bone grafting. This book concentrates on such procedures that may well be counted among the recent outstanding breakthroughs in bone regenerative therapy.

Professor Haim Tal is the former Dean of the Maurice and Gabriella Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine. He also holds the positions of Head of the Department of Periodontology and Implans and incumbent of the Gerald Niznick Chair of Implantology. Prof. Tal graduated from Hadassah School of Dental Medicine at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and took specialty training in Periodontics and Oral Medicine at the University of the Wits, Johannesburg, where he also received the degrees M.Dent. and PhD. in Physical Anthropology. He is the recipient of the 1984 honorary fellowship of the American Academy of Oral Medicine and Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Bukarest. Prof Tal is a visiting Professor at NYU and at Toronto University. He published over 200 articles and abstracts and lectured world wide in the fields of Periodontal Wound Healing, Implantology and Implant Navigation. Prof. Tal is a co-developers of Ossix, a leading cross-linked collagen membrane for guided bone regeneration, manufactured by ColBar Life Sciences, Israel.