Since 2002, the Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry has proposed "Interface Oral Health Science" as a major theme for next-generation dental research. That theme is based on the following new concept: healthy oral fu- tion is maintained by biological and biomechanical harmony among three s- tems: (1) oral tissues (host); (2) parasitic microorganisms of the oral cavity (parasites); and (3) biomaterials. The concept implies that oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontal disease, and temporomandibular disorders should be interpreted as "interface disorders" that result from disruption of the intact int- face among these systems. The uniqueness of this concept rests on the fact that it not only encompasses the field of dentistry and dental medicine, but also expands the common ground shared with other fields, including medicine, ag- culture, material science, engineering, and pharmacology. We aim to promote advances in dental research and to activate collaboration with related fields by putting interface oral health science into practice. On this basis, we have already organized the 1st and 2nd International Symposiums for Interface Oral Health Science, which included inspiring special lectures, symposiums, poster pres- tations, and other discussions. The contents of the two symposiums were p- lished as monographs entitled Interface Oral Health Science in 2005 and 2007. The 3rd International Symposium was held in January 2009 as part of this project.

The Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry first introduced the concept of "Interface Oral Health Science", designed to establish and maintain healthy oral cavities, which are home to a number of mixed systems. Included in those systems are: (1) host tissues such as teeth, mucosa, muscle and bone, (2) parasites and microorganisms cohabiting the surfaces of the oral cavity and (3) biomaterials that are used for the rehabilitation of oral functions. In addition, (4) these systems are subject to severe and complex mechanical forces. Therefore, it is critical to promote dental studies that integrate a wide range of interdisciplinary research as medicine, agriculture, material science, engineering, and pharmacology. With this incentive, international symposiums for interface oral health science have been held several times in the past. The concept has since refined and expanded, the result being the "Biosis-Abiosis Intelligent Interface," and projects aiming at the creation of highly functional and autonomic intelligent interfaces are ongoing. This book brings together a number of studies on incentives and projects by leading authors. Topics include biosis-abiosis interface of dental implants, biomaterials in interface science, biomedical engineering interface and cell manipulation and tissue regeneration. Readers not only from the field of dentistry but also many related areas will find this book a valuable resource.

Since 2002, the Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry has proposed "Interface Oral Health Science" as a major theme for next-generation dental research. That theme is based on the following new concept: healthy oral fu- tion is maintained by biological and biomechanical harmony among three s- tems: (1) oral tissues (host); (2) parasitic microorganisms of the oral cavity (parasites); and (3) biomaterials. The concept implies that oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontal disease, and temporomandibular disorders should be interpreted as "interface disorders" that result from disruption of the intact int- face among these systems. The uniqueness of this concept rests on the fact that it not only encompasses the field of dentistry and dental medicine, but also expands the common ground shared with other fields, including medicine, ag- culture, material science, engineering, and pharmacology. We aim to promote advances in dental research and to activate collaboration with related fields by putting interface oral health science into practice. On this basis, we have already organized the 1st and 2nd International Symposiums for Interface Oral Health Science, which included inspiring special lectures, symposiums, poster pres- tations, and other discussions. The contents of the two symposiums were p- lished as monographs entitled Interface Oral Health Science in 2005 and 2007. The 3rd International Symposium was held in January 2009 as part of this project.