DOI: 10.17567/currresdentsci.1717399 ISSN: 2822-2555

Critical Assessment of the 100 Most-Cited Dental Articles on Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells to Identify the Gaps in Knowledge in Their Clinical and Translational Applications

Adil Basman, Beyza Altunay
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Objective: Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) possess a unique ability to differentiate into cell types critical for periodontal regeneration. With emerging “omics” technologies, understanding PDLSC roles in regenerative therapies is expanding. This study aimed to critically assess the bibliometric profile of the top 100 most-cited (T100) PDLSC articles, examine research themes, and identify knowledge gaps.Methods: An electronic search was conducted on May 10, 2024, using the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). The search term “periodontal ligament stem cells” was applied to all fields without year or language restrictions. Articles focusing on PDLSCs in dental or periodontal contexts were included. Eligible types were original research and review articles, while correspondence, viewpoints, technical notes, commentaries, conference abstracts, and non-research formats were excluded. The T100 articles were analyzed for bibliometric parameters including publication features, authorship, institutional and country affiliations, journal impact factor (IF) and quartile (Q), citation count (C), study design, and level of evidence (LoE), following STROBE guidelines.Results: The T100 articles averaged 191.6±283.8 citations. Citation count correlated positively with journal IF (r=0.306, P=.02). Most were LoE 0 (62%) and LoE VII (32%). In vitro studies predominated (44%), followed by narrative reviews (32%), while clinical studies and human histological research remained scarce (3%).Conclusion: This bibliometric evaluation delineates current PDLSC research patterns, highlights limited clinical evidence, and emphasizes emerging omics-driven directions. Future studies should integrate genomic, transcriptomic, and single-cell approaches to advance PDLSC translation into personalized regenerative therapies.Keywords: Bibliometric analysis, critical analysis, tissue engineering, periodontal ligament, periodontal ligament stem cells

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