b'SCIENCE & INNOVATIONBest Evidence Consensus co-chairs share their vision for biologicsDr. Brian Mealey Dr. Gustavo Avila-OrtizThe American Academy of PeriodontologyWhich biologics will beand Shayan Barootchi are working on the will be hosting a Best Evidenceexamined? topic of mucogingival deformities; Drs. Consensus (BEC) meeting in April 2022Many biologics have been used in aLorenzo Tavelli, David Kim, and Jennifer on the topic of Biologics in Contemporarywide variety of periodontal and implantChen are responsible for the review on Periodontal Clinical Practice. The BECprocedures. It is impossible to examineintrabony defects; and Drs. Alberto Monje model combines the latest publishedall of those biologics in all of theirand Fernando Suarez are in charge of research with clinical expertise to developpotential uses in a single BEC. That isthe review on implant site development. a clinical bottom line on a specific topic.why this BEC will be primarily focusedWe are all indebted to these reviewers The co-chairs of this BEC, Drs. Brianon three specific biologics, namelyfor their dedication to the work-intensive Mealey and Gustavo Avila-Ortiz, haveautologous blood-derived productstasks at hand.shared their vision and how they hope this(ABPs), enamel matrix derivatives (EMD), expert consensus will inform and improveand recombinant human platelet-derivedWhat do you think will be the periodontal practice.growth factor-BB (rhPDGF-BB). Themain takeaway of this BEC?Could you explain the topic ofBEC will focus specifically on the useWe hope this BEC builds upon the this BEC and the materials thatof these biologics for the treatment ofsuccess of previous BECs and contributes will be discussed? mucogingival deformities, periodontalto knowledge on the clinical use of intrabony defects, and for implant sitebiologics in periodontal practice based The central topic of this upcoming BECdevelopment purposes. Management ofon high-level scientific evidence and is the use of biologics in contemporaryperi-implant soft and hard tissue defectsexpert clinical opinion. We anticipate that periodontal practice. A biologic is aand deficiencies was intentionally left outthe publications derived from this BEC therapeutic agent with biological activityof this BEC, as those applications maywill help answer questions regarding the that can be clinically delivered to promoteform the focus of a future BEC.indications, predictability, safety, and an enhanced regenerative or reparativecost-benefit associated with the clinical effect. Biologics have been used inWe decided to focus the 2022 BEC inapplication of biologics in the context of periodontics for over two decades, andthis way since ABPs, EMD, and rhPDGF- periodontal practice.the number of clinical indications andBB are FDA-approved; they are regularly the amount of scientific evidence haveused by many clinicians in dental practice; progressively grown over the years.and the amount of available evidence is Therefore, the AAP leadership envisionedsufficient to conduct specific systematicLook for the full proceedings this BEC as an opportunity to provide anreviews on of these clinical applications.of this BEC to be published in updated, evidence-based perspective onThese papers will be peer-reviewed andthe Journal of Periodontology this topic with the purpose of assistingdistributed among all the participantsand Clinical Advances in clinicians in their daily decision-makingprior to the BEC.Periodontics in late-2022!processes and identifying gaps ofA stellar team of authors is involved in the knowledge that can guide future researchconduction of three systematic reviews. efforts in this field. Specifically, Drs. Leandro Chambrone AAP Periospectives| 32'