Hyaluronic acid in dentistry

Hyaluronic acid (HA,hyaluronan) is a polysaccharide present in many areas of the body like the synovium of synovial joints and connective tissues which have high regenerative and biocompatible properties and has been an area of interest since recent times in dentistry. HA is also a key element in the soft periodontal tissues, gingiva, periodontal ligament, and hard tissue, such as alveolar bone and cementum.HA was discovered 1934 by Karl Meyer and John Palmer, scientists at Columbia University, New York. This discovery was made in the years that followed after several studies on the characteristics of HA and its function in the body. Topical hyaluronic acid (HA) has recently been recognized as an adjuvant treatment for chronic inflammatory disease in addition to its use to improve healing after dental procedures. HA has anti‑inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-edematous properties and tissue regeneration abilities. Its biocompatibility and regenerative properties have made it useful in the treatment of the inflammatory process in medical areas such as orthopedics, dermatology, ophthalmology and dentistry. Our work aimed to systematically review the published literature about the potential effects of HA as an adjuvant treatment for acute and chronic inflammatory disease, in addition to its use to improve healing after common dental procedures and to demonstrate various applications of HA in different branches of dentistry. Its function in periodontological treatment, implantology, pediatric dentistry, endodontics, facial aesthetics, oral surgery and orthodontics has been thoroughly investigated. HA can be useful as a coadjutant treatment for faster healing and to reduce the patients’ discomfort during the postoperative period. The highly biocompatible and non‑immunogenic nature of HA has led to its use in many clinical applications. Relevant published studies were found in several research papers and review articles were studied in the Pubmed database to formulate this review article. The PubMed database was searched for keywords: Hyaluronic acid and dentistry ,“Hyaluronic acid AND periodontics,” “Hyaluronic acid AND oral and maxillofacial surgery,” “Hyaluronic acid AND oral medicine,” “Hyaluronic acid AND orthodontics,” “Hyaluronic acid AND endodontics,” and“Hyaluronic acid AND aesthetic dentistry. The most relevant and informative articles were selected and studied for this review article. This review article will also help people to gain knowledge about the future aspects of HA use in dentistry and motivate clinicians and new-generation dentists to inculcate HA’s use in their respective practice in dentistry. Further laboratory-based research and large-scale randomized controlled clinical studies are recommended to validate these actions in dentistry and maximize their use in clinical practice. Keywords: hyaluronic acid, dentisty, oral surgery