These inflammatory cytokines are important regulators of the Wnt pathway because they establish a positive feedback loop that regulates bone mass.6,17 According to recent findings, when tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and RANKL stimulate sclerostin synthesis, bone resorption increases, and bone formation decreases.17,28,32,33 Thus, the combined effect of sclerostin’s anti-anabolic function and its enhanced expression during inflammation contributes to bone resorption in patients with periodontitis.34 This evidence concerns the gene TNFSF11 and periodontitis.