About

Sunil Wadhwa, DDS, is a Professor of Orthodontics in the Department of Dental Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He serves as the Chair of the Section of Growth and Development and is the Director of the Division of Orthodontics. His academic appointment is within the Leuman M. Waugh D.D.S. professorship. Dr. Wadhwa's research focuses on the biology of tooth movement and the sex dimorphism of temporomandibular joint disorders. His work involves understanding the biological mechanisms underlying orthodontic treatment and temporomandibular joint conditions, contributing to advancements in orthodontic science and patient care.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Immunology
• Internal medicine
• Biology
• Bioinformatics
• Dentistry
• Surgery

Selected publications

• Evaluation by dental professionals of an artificial intelligence-based application to measure alveolar bone loss

  BMC Oral Health · 2025-03-01 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  BACKGROUND: Several commercial programs incorporate artificial intelligence in diagnosis, but very few dental professionals have been surveyed regarding its acceptability and usability. Furthermore, few have explored how these advances might be incorporated into routine practice. METHODS: Our team developed and implemented a deep learning (DL) model employing semantic segmentation neural networks and object detection networks to precisely identify alveolar bone crestal levels (ABCLs) and cemento-enamel junctions (CEJs) to measure change in alveolar crestal height (ACH). The model was trained and validated using a 550 bitewing radiograph dataset curated by an oral radiologist, setting a gold standard for ACH measurements. A twenty-question survey was created to compare the accuracy and efficiency of manual X-ray examination versus the application and to assess the acceptability and usability of the application. RESULTS: In total, 56 different dental professionals classified severe (ACH > 5 mm) vs. non-severe (ACH ≤ 5 mm) periodontal bone loss on 35 calculable ACH measures. Dental professionals accurately identified between 35-87% of teeth with severe periodontal disease, whereas the artificial intelligence (AI) application achieved an 82-87% accuracy rate. Among the 65 participants who completed the acceptability and usability survey, more than half the participants (52%) were from an academic setting. Only 21% of participants reported that they already used automated or AI-based software in their practice to assist in reading of X-rays. The majority, 57%, stated that they only approximate when measuring bone levels and only 9% stated that they measure with a ruler. The survey indicated that 84% of participants agreed or strongly agreed with the AI application measurement of ACH. Furthermore, 56% of participants agreed that AI would be helpful in their professional setting. CONCLUSION: Overall, the study demonstrates that an AI application for detecting alveolar bone has high acceptability among dental professionals and may provide benefits in time saving and increased clinical accuracy.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Oral health and behavioral problems in children living with and without HIV in South Africa

  AIDS Care · 2025-07-26

  articleOpen access

  than those without behavioral problems. Behavioral problems in CLWH were associated with being male, lower Tanner stage, less maternal education, and dental caries. Markers of poor oral health were associated with behavioral problems in CLWH, and oral microbiota profile correlated with behavioral problems in CHU. Oral health may be a preventable factor that could help reduce behavior problems in CLWH.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Menopause-related changes to maxillary trabecular bone micro-architecture

  Frontiers in Aging · 2025-05-08 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The number of midlife women seeking orthodontic treatment has significantly increased over the past 40 years. With this rise, orthodontists need to consider the potential impact of menopause on treatment planning. There have been no recent published studies on maxillary trabecular bone changes in humans related to menopause. This study aimed to explore the subject further. This cross-sectional cohort study was composed of qualifying participants with diagnostic maxillary CBCT images who were separated by self report into pre- (N = 21) and postmenopausal (N = 19) groups. The regions of interest were the trabecular bone of the incisive foramen and maxillary tuberosity. All scans were converted into binary images in order to draw all parametric and ratio raw data. The parameters of interest included trabecular bone volume fraction (BVF), trabecular thickness, trabecular number, and trabecular separation. In the incisive foramen subgroup, postmenopausal women showed a significant increase in trabecular separation (0.60 ± 0.25 to 0.84 ± 0.31 mm, P < 0.06). For the maxillary tuberosity subgroup, significant decreases in BV/TV (32.58 ± 15.85 to 17.63 ± 14.38 %, P <0.004), trabecular bone surface/tissue volume (2.66 ± 1.01 to 1.43 ± 1.09 %, P < 0.001) and trabecular separation (0.91 ± 0.39 to 1.58 ± 0.51 mm, P < 0.001) were observed. The findings reveal statistically significant differences in maxillary bone density at the level of the maxillary tuberosity and incisive foramen demonstrated in women who are of preversus post-menopausal status.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Corrigendum to “Orthodontic educational landscape in the contemporary context: Insights from educators” [Seminars in Orthodontics, Volume 30, Issue 4, 2024 Pages 369-378, ISSN 1073-8746]

  Seminars in Orthodontics · 2025-06-01

  reviewOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Men with HIV have increased alveolar bone loss

  BMC Oral Health · 2024-10-19 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Periodontal health in men with HIV remains understudied, despite suggestions of associations between HIV infection and gingival pocketing, periodontal attachment loss, and gingival inflammation. As antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved the quality of life for people living with HIV (PLWH), aging-related risk factors and comorbidities, including periodontitis, have emerged. This study aims to assess alveolar bone height, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) cytokines, and periodontal disease activity in men with and without HIV. METHODS: Ninety-three men (50 HIV+, 43 HIV-) aged 35-70 years were recruited from Columbia University Irving Medical Center clinics. Periodontal examination, GCF collection, and intraoral radiographs were collected. Statistical analysis was conducted with t-tests for continuous variables and chi-squared tests for categorical variables. RESULTS: While no significant differences were observed in bleeding on probing, clinical attachment loss and pocket depths, men with HIV exhibited significantly greater alveolar crestal height on radiographs compared to men without HIV (HIV + 3.41+/-1.35 mm, HIV- 2.64+/-1.01 mm; p = 0.004), reflecting greater alveolar bone loss. CONCLUSIONS: Men living with HIV demonstrate increased alveolar bone loss compared to those without HIV, possibly mediated by elevated IL6 levels. These results underscore the importance of comprehensive oral health management in PLWH and highlight the need for further research understanding the mechanisms linking HIV infection, cytokine dysregulation, and periodontal health.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Menopause-Associated Changes in Mandibular Bone Microarchitecture Are Site-Specific

  Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery · 2024-02-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Orthodontic educational landscape in the contemporary context: Insights from educators

  Seminars in Orthodontics · 2024-05-19 · 14 citations

  reviewOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Men with HIV Have Increased Alveolar Bone Loss

  Research Square · 2024-05-20

  preprintOpen access

  Background: Periodontal health in men with HIV remains understudied, despite suggestions of associations between HIV infection and gingival pocketing, periodontal attachment loss, and gingival inflammation. As antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved the quality of life for people living with HIV (PLWH), aging-related risk factors and comorbidities, including periodontitis, have emerged. This study aims to assess alveolar bone height, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) cytokines, and periodontal disease activity in men with and without HIV. Methods: Ninety-three men (50 HIV+, 43 HIV‒) aged 35-70 years were recruited from Columbia University Irving Medical Center clinics. Periodontal examination, GCF collection, and intraoral radiographs were conducted. Results: While no significant differences were observed in bleeding on probing, clinical attachment loss and pocket depths, men with HIV exhibited significantly greater alveolar crestal height on radiographs compared to men without HIV (HIV + 3.41+/-1.35 mm, HIV- 2.64+/-1.01 mm; p = 0.004), reflecting greater alveolar bone loss. GCF IL6 levels showed a trend towards elevation in men with HIV (HIV + 0.349+/-0.407 pg/ml, HIV- 0.220+/-0.228 pg/ml; p = 0.059). Conclusions: Men with HIV demonstrate increased alveolar bone loss compared to those without HIV, possibly mediated by elevated IL6 levels. These results underscore the importance of comprehensive oral health management in PLWH and highlight the need for further research understanding the mechanisms linking HIV infection, cytokine dysregulation, and periodontal health.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Postmenopausal women with HIV have increased tooth loss

  BMC Oral Health · 2024-01-08 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  BACKGROUND: With effective antiretroviral therapy, people with HIV (PWH) are living longer and aging; the majority of PWH in the United States are now over the age of 50 and in women have gone through the menopause transition. Menopause potentiates skeletal bone loss at the spine, hip, and radius in PWH. The alveolar bone which surronds the teeth is different than long bones because it is derived from the neural crest. However, few studies have assessed the oral health and alveolar bone in middle aged and older women with HIV. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate periodontal disease and alveolar bone microarchitecture in postmenopausal women with HIV. METHODS: 135 self-reported postmenopausal women were recruited (59 HIV-, 76 HIV + on combination antiretroviral therapy with virological suppression) from a single academic center. The following parameters were measured: cytokine levels (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17 A, OPG, and RANKL) in gingival crevicular fluid, bleeding on probing, probing depth, clinical attachment loss, number of teeth present, alveolar crestal height, and alveolar bone microarchitecture. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 57.04+/-6.25 years and a greater proportion of women with HIV were black/African American (HIV + 68.42%, HIV- 23.73%; p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in bleeding on probing (p = 0.17) and attachment loss (p = 0.39) between women who were HIV infected vs. HIV uninfected. Women with HIV had significantly higher RANKL expression in Gingival Crevicular Fluid (HIV + 3.80+/-3.19 pg/ul, HIV- 1.29+/-2.14 pg/ul ; p < 0.001), fewer teeth present (HIV + 17.75+/-7.62, HIV- 22.79+/-5.70; p < 0.001), ), lower trabecular number (HIV + 0.08+/-0.01, HIV- 0.09+/-0.02; p = 0.004) and greater trabecular separation (HIV + 9.23+/-3.11, HIV- 7.99+/-3.23; p = 0.04) compared to women without HIV that remained significant in multivariate logistic regression analysis in a sub-cohort after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, smoking status, and diabetes. CONCLUSION: Postmenopausal women with HIV have deterioration of the alveolar trabecular bone microarchitecture that may contribute to greater tooth loss.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Significance of radiographic temporomandibular degenerative joint disease findings

  Seminars in Orthodontics · 2023-12-10 · 1 citations

  reviewOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Estrogen Receptor Beta Regulation of Mandibular Condylar Growth

  NIH · $1.5M · 2010–2014

• Multidisciplinary Training in TMJ Disorders/Pain: Integrating Basic, Translation

  NIH · $1.2M · 2013–2018

• Oral immune activation and alveolar bone loss in HIV-infected postmenopausal women

  NIH · $2.3M · 2017–2024

• Role of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Beta in Regulating Mandibular Condylar Growth

  NIH · $287k · 2009–2017

Frequent coauthors

• Marian F. Young

  25 shared

• Michael T. Yin

  Columbia University

  16 shared

• Tina M. Kilts

  National Institutes of Health

  15 shared

• Žana Kalajzić

  UConn Health

  12 shared

• Mildred C. Embree

  Columbia University

  11 shared

• Achint Utreja

  10 shared

• Flávio Uribe

  University of Connecticut

  10 shared

• Ravindra Nanda

  University of Connecticut

  8 shared