PORTLAND, Ore., U.S.: Biomaterial scaffolds have served as the foundation of tissue engineering; however, they are often difficult to scale in size or shape in order to fit defect‐specific dimensions. Researchers from the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) in Portland have now developed small 3D-printed bricks that serve as scaffolding for hard and soft tissue. They believe that this technology could be used for bone augmentation before dental implantation.
“Our patent pending scaffolding is easy to use; it can be stacked together like Legos and placed in thousands of different configurations to match the complexity and size of almost any situation,” said Dr. Luiz Bertassoni, who led the technology’s development and is an associate professor in the OHSU School of Dentistry, in a press release.
A unique advantage of this new scaffolding system is that its hollow blocks can be filled with small amounts of gel containing various growth factors that are precisely placed closest to where they are needed. The study found growth factor-filled blocks placed near repaired rat bones led to about three times more blood vessel growth than did conventional scaffolding material.
“The 3D-printed microcage technology improves healing by stimulating the right type of cells to grow in the right place, and at the right time,” said co-author Dr. Ramesh Subbiah, a postdoctoral scholar at the university and a specialist in growth factor delivery. “Different growth factors can be placed inside each block, enabling us to more precisely and quickly repair tissue.”
The small devices are modular and can be assembled to fit into almost any space. When block segments, each consisting of four layers of four bricks by four bricks, are pieced together, the researchers estimate that more than 29,000 different configurations can be created.
The researchers plan to test the technology’s ability to repair more complex bone fractures in rats or larger animals in the future. By changing the composition of the technology’s 3D-printed materials, they envision that it could also be used to build or repair soft tissue.
The study, titled “3D printing of microgel‐loaded modular microcages as instructive scaffolds for tissue engineering,” was published online on July 23, 2020, in Advanced Materials, ahead of inclusion in an issue.
Tags:
XI’AN, China: Dental implantology is no longer just about milling. Technological leaps in additive manufacturing have hastened both the pace at which ...
I know this subject is scary and most of you don’t even want to think about producing video as part of your Internet marketing program. It’s ...
MUNICH, Germany: On 17 June, dental professionals flocked to the halls of the BMW Welt event venue in Munich to learn more about the Guided Biofilm Therapy ...
NORMAN, Okla., U.S.: A considerable proportion of oral cancer diagnoses are made when the cancer is advanced. A University of Oklahoma (OU) researcher is ...
ANAHEIM, Calif., US: Oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy entails giving people small amounts of peanuts over time to desensitise them to the legume, thus...
SAN JOSE, Calif., U.S.: In today’s hyper-connected world, customer experience has the power to make or break a business. According to a study referenced ...
WROCŁAW, Poland: With substantial manufacturing capabilities in Mexico and China, Align Technology can already boast of having the world’s largest ...
GUILDFORD, UK: Dental disease identification is often cumbersome and time-consuming. To assist dental professionals in better detecting dental problems, ...
Current treatment approaches focus on creating durable and healthy tissue around dental implants to prevent peri-implantitis, aiming for long-term implant ...
LOS ANGELES, US: With reported cases as high as 19%, the battle against peri-implantitis has left clinicians and researchers constantly searching for ways ...
Live webinar
Thu. 18 July 2024
8:00 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Fri. 26 July 2024
11:00 am EST (New York)
Live webinar
Tue. 6 August 2024
6:00 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Tue. 13 August 2024
7:00 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Wed. 14 August 2024
12:30 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Wed. 21 August 2024
9:00 am EST (New York)
Dr. Jim Lai DMD, MSc(Perio), EdD, FRCD(C)
Live webinar
Thu. 22 August 2024
4:00 pm EST (New York)
To post a reply please login or register