Melt electrowriting scaffolds with fibre-guiding features for periodontal attachment

Bioimplant-on-a-Chip for Facile Investigation of Periodontal Ligament Formation on Biogenic Hydroxyapatite/Ti6Al4 V Implants

Highly osseointegrative dental implants surrounded by reconstructed periodontal tissues represent a promising strategy for functional tooth replacement, as they mimic the structural and physiological characteristics of natural teeth. However, there is currently a lack of in vitro platforms that can effectively evaluate the integration of engineered periodontal ligament (PDL) tissues with bioimplants. In this study, we developed a bioimplant-on-a-chip (BoC) platform designed to recapitulate the native PDL-cementum interface and assess the early stage biological performance of bioimplants in vitro. The BoC consists of a dental implant, a calcium phosphate cement (CPC) insert, a nanopatterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate, and PDL-like tissue derived from human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). To establish viable culture conditions within the platform, surface coatings and cell seeding densities were optimized to support the formation of PDL-like tissue. Nanogrooved substrates were incorporated to guide cellular alignment, which was assessed through orientation analysis. Collagen fiber organization and matrix deposition were further examined as indicators of ligamentous tissue maturation. Cementogenic activity was evaluated by immunofluorescent staining of cementum protein-1 (CEMP-1) in response to varying biogenic hydroxyapatite (bHA) contents in the bioimplants. The results demonstrated successful reproduction of a PDL-like tissue interface and material-dependent differences in CEMP-1 expression. This platform provides a modular and reproducible tool for the comparative evaluation of bioimplants in a physiologically relevant setting and may be useful in advancing regenerative strategies in dental implantology.

Biofabrication - Revolutionizing the future of regenerative periodontics

Periodontium is a compartmentalized and highly specialized tissue responsible for tooth stability. Loss of tooth attachment due to periodontitis and trauma is a complex clinical burden affecting a large parcel of the adult and elderly population worldwide, and regenerative strategies to reestablish the native conditions of the periodontium are paramount. Biofabrication of scaffolds, through various techniques and materials, for regenerative periodontics has significantly evolved in the last decades. From the basics of occlusive membranes and graft materials to the complexity of converging 3D printing and Bioprinting using image-based models, biofabrication opens many possibilities for patient-specific scaffolds that recapitulate the anatomical and physiological conditions of periodontal tissues and interfaces. Thus, this review presents fundamental concepts related to the native characteristics of the periodontal tissues, the key to designing personalized strategies, and the latest trends of biofabrication in regenerative periodontics with a critical overview of how these emerging technologies have the potential to shift the one-size-fits-all paradigm.

Direction-oriented fiber guiding with a tunable tri-layer-3D scaffold for periodontal regeneration

Multilayered scaffolds mimicking mechanical and biological host tissue architectures are the current prerequisites for successful tissue regeneration. We propose our tunable tri-layered scaffold, designed to represent the native periodontium for potential regenerative applications. The fused deposition modeling platform is used to fabricate the novel movable three-layered polylactic acid scaffold mimicking in vivo cementum, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone layers. The scaffold is further provided with multiple angulated fibers, offering directional guidance and facilitating the anchorage dependence on cell adhesion. Additionally, surface modifications of the scaffold were made by incorporating coatings like collagen and different concentrations of gelatin methacryloyl to enrich the cell adhesion and proliferation. The surface characterization of our designed scaffolds was performed using tribological studies, atomic force microscopy, contact angle measurement, scanning electron microscopy, and micro-computed tomography. Furthermore, the material characterization of this scaffold was investigated by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. The scaffold's mechanical characterization, such as strength and compression modulus, was demonstrated by compression testing. The L929 mouse fibroblast cells and MG63 human osteosarcoma cells have been cultured on the scaffold. The scaffold's superior biocompatibility was evaluated using fluorescence dye with fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, in vitro wound healing assay, MTT assay, and flow cytometry. The mineralization capability of the scaffolds was also studied. In conclusion, our study demonstrated the construction of a multilayered movable scaffold, which is highly biocompatible and most suitable for various downstream applications such as periodontium and in situ tissue regeneration of complex, multilayered tissues.