Abstract
In this study, a new concept of a 3D-printed scaffold was introduced for the accurate placement of an implant and the application of a recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2)-loaded bone graft. This preliminary study was conducted using two adult beagles to evaluate the 3D-printed polycaprolactone (PCL)/β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP)/bone decellularized extracellular matrix (bdECM) scaffold conjugated with rhBMP-2 for the simultaneous use as an implant surgical guide stent and bone graft material that promotes new bone growth. Teeth were extracted from the mandible of the beagle model and scanned by computed tomography (CT) to fabricate a customized scaffold that would fit the bone defect. After positioning the implant guide scaffold, the implant was placed and rhBMP-2 was injected into the scaffold of the experimental group. The two beagles were sacrificed after three months. The specimen block was obtained and scanned by micro-CT. Histological analysis showed that the control and experimental groups had similar new bone volume (NBV, %) but the experimental group with BMP exhibited a significantly higher bone-to-implant contact ratio (BIC, %). Within the limitations of this preliminary study, a 3D-printed scaffold conjugated with rhBMP-2 can be used simultaneously as an implant surgical guide and a bone graft in a large bone defect site. Further large-scale studies will be needed to confirm these results.
Highlights
Restoration of the edentulous arch with a dental implant is becoming a predictable treatment option, and various prosthodontic treatment approaches have been developed and introduced [1].Early implant research focused on the osseointegration
With the introduction of 3D-printed grafting material, it has been reported that selecting the appropriate printing materials and fabricating the desired 3D structure provide a favorable environment for angiogenesis and new bone formation [31]
The present study evaluated the osteoinductive property of 3D-printed PCL/β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP)/bone decellularized extracellular matrix (bdECM) scaffolds
Summary
Restoration of the edentulous arch with a dental implant is becoming a predictable treatment option, and various prosthodontic treatment approaches have been developed and introduced [1].Early implant research focused on the osseointegration. Restoration of the edentulous arch with a dental implant is becoming a predictable treatment option, and various prosthodontic treatment approaches have been developed and introduced [1]. Most current studies have shifted focus to the functional and esthetic restoration of the implant with a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Digital technology including computer-aided design (CAD), cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and rapid prototyping (RP) has improved, and these technologies have been brought together to introduce digital-guided surgery technology. Digital-guided surgery has the potential to be an accurate and simplified surgical implant procedure [2]. These techniques can be used to perform flapless surgery, which is less invasive than conventional implant surgery, Materials 2017, 10, 1434; doi:10.3390/ma10121434 www.mdpi.com/journal/materials
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