Methods and articles for regenerating bone or peridontal tissue

Abstract

There are numerous medical situations involving deficiencies of living bone or periodontal tissue and where increase of living bone or periodontal tissue mass is desired. Methods are described wherein a configured, shell-like device that is capable of being penetrated by living cells and tissues, is implanted into the body of a mammal in such a way as to establish a space, the space being at least partly, bounded by the device. The configuration of the device is such that the configuration of the established space is essentially the same as the configuration of living bone or periodontal tissue that is desired for treatment of the tissue deficiency. At least one protein from the Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Superfamily of proteins is placed within the established space for the purpose of stimulating the growth of living bone or periodontal tissue within the established space. A kit for the generation of living bone or periodontal tissue, comprised of the components mentioned above, is also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.