Translational Oral Health Research (eBook)

This book is the first to be devoted to translational research - which aims to expedite the transfer of knowledge gained in the lab to clinical practice - within the field of oral health. It is examined how basic sciences and basic research are providing new methods and materials that will enable clinicians to treat patients more effectively. Readers will gain a translational perspective on a variety of oral conditions and related systemic diseases. Individual chapters are devoted to such topics as dental biomaterials, implants, and tissue engineering. The importance of evidence-based research and the roles and comparative value of preclinical and clinical trials are also highlighted. Knowledge of translational and clinical research is essential in understanding how new inventions and developments are being accomplished, and what regulations and guidelines need to be taken into account when planning studies, and not forgetting the ethical aspects of any research. Translational Oral Health Research is the first book to be devoted entirely to the subject, and it will be of interest to both researchers and practitioners.

Jukka H. Meurman, MD, PhD, D. Odont., Dr h.c. (multid.), FDSRCSEd, is Professor Emeritus of Oral Infectious Diseases at the University of Helsinki and Head Physician at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland. He is the author or co-author of more than 300 peer-reviewed original research publications focusing mainly on the various aspects of oral health and systemic health and on oral microbiology. Dr. Meurman has lectured extensively in various international forums and has held a number of external expert posts, e.g., in the European Food Safety Authority, the Initiative for Science in Europe, and the Inter-Academies Platform. Dr. Meurman has received the titles of Doctor honoris causa from the Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg, France, from the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, and from the Medical University of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He is an invited member of the German Leopoldina National Academy of Sciences and vice-chair of the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters. Dr. Meurman is member ad hominis of the Royal Society of Surgeons, Edinburgh. He has served as President of the International Association for Dental Research.