Prevention and Treatment of Periodontal Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

Background and History

Periodontal diseases—principally gingivitis and periodontitis—are chronic inflammatory conditions initiated by dysbiotic oral biofilms and shaped by complex host–microbe interactions. Recognition of periodontal disease dates back to ancient medical texts, but scientific understanding advanced rapidly in the 20th century with the discovery of dental plaque as an etiologic agent and the development of scaling and root planing as foundational therapy. Over the past three decades, the paradigm has shifted further: periodontitis is now viewed as a multifactorial, immune-mediated disease influenced by systemic health, genetics, lifestyle factors, and the broader oral and gut microbiome. Recent breakthroughs in molecular microbiology, immunology, biomaterials, and regenerative medicine have opened new avenues for prevention, early detection, and precision treatment.

Aim and Scope of the Special Issue

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive and forward-looking platform for advancing knowledge in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal diseases. Our goal is to capture high-impact research that deepens mechanistic understanding, evaluates innovative therapeutic strategies, and translates emerging scientific insights into improved clinical outcomes. The scope spans fundamental biology to clinical implementation and public health, bringing together multidisciplinary perspectives from dentistry, microbiology, immunology, bioengineering, and systems medicine.

Cutting-Edge Research Areas Highlighted

We particularly seek work that addresses one or more of the following frontier topics:

• Microbial and immunological mechanisms;
• Innovations in prevention;
• Advanced therapeutic modalities;
• Systemic interrelationships.

Types of Papers Solicited

We invite high-quality submissions, including the following:

• Original research articles reporting novel experimental, clinical, translational, or population-level findings;
• Clinical trials (pilot through Phase III), including innovative trial designs and comparative-effectiveness studies;
• Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that synthesize evidence or resolve controversies;
• Comprehensive reviews and perspectives offering authoritative analyses of emerging topics;
• Short communications or technical notes presenting new methodologies, diagnostic tools, or preliminary high-impact results.

Dr. Dorina Lauritano
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Medicina is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• oral surgery
• oral medicine
• oral biology
• periodontology
• dentistry