The therapeutic potential of parathyroid hormone in dental and oral medicine

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is an essential hormone that plays a vital role in calcium homeostasis in our body. Exogenous recombinant human PTH is widely applicable in health care, and the clinical utilization of PTH is emerging. The biological effects of systemic PTH depend upon the mode of administration: it is bone catabolic when continuously administered but bone anabolic when intermittently administered. Animal studies have shown that intermittent PTH therapy greatly improves the outcome of osseous regeneration procedures. The bone anabolic actions of PTH have been further investigated in human clinical trials to assess its effects on fracture repair, spinal fusion, bone regeneration, implant osseointegration, and healing of periodontal surgery. Findings support the positive effects of intermittent PTH therapy on the outcomes of osseous regenerative procedures. Furthermore, biomaterials through which PTH can be delivered locally have been developed and investigated in order to evaluate the therapeutic potential of PTH at the preclinical level. With advances in our understanding of PTH and hard tissue physiology, PTH provides a new therapeutic modality for osseous regeneration therapy.