Experimental rat model – is it still used? – review article

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease with a high prevalence in today practice. Its evolution leads to the destruction of the supporting tissues of the teeth by a progressive loss of connective attachment level and alveolar bone resorption. Experimental models for studying periodontitis treatment effects are of high demand for understanding the biological concepts and the evolution of certain treatments in humans. Animal models are considered to be a better alternative to in vitro studies thus are highly important, representing an essential link between a hypothesis and its relevance to human patients. There is a wide range of animals that are suitable for inducing periodontal inflammation and for testing treatments as well. The animal model should be carefully chosen depending on the main purpose of the study and the laboratory constrains. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of different species used for studying periodontal disease with a main focus on the rat model which is considered by the literature one of the most relevant model available.