Each year, millions of people in the U.S. get dental implants as a long-term, natural-looking fix for missing teeth. But traditional implants don't fully mimic real teeth.
Researchers from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and Tufts University School of Medicine recently described a new approach to dental implants that that could better replicate how natural teeth feel and function. Their study , published in Scientific Reports , shows early success with both a "smart" implant and a new gentler surgical technique in rodents.
"Natural teeth connect to the jawbone through soft tissue rich in nerves, which help sense pressure and texture and guide how we chew and speak. Implants lack that sensory feedback," says Jake Jinkun Chen , DI09, a professor of periodontology and director of the Division of Oral Biology at the School of Dental Medicine and the senior author on the study.
Traditional dental implants use a titanium post that fuses directly to the jawbone to support a ceramic crown, and the surgery often cuts or damages nearby nerves. To tie these inert pieces of metal into the body's sensory system, the Tufts team developed an implant wrapped in an innovative biodegradable coating. This coating contains stem cells and a special protein that helps them multiply and turn into nerve tissue. As the coating dissolves during the healing process, it releases the stem cells and protein, fueling the growth of new nerve tissue around the implant.
The coating also contains tiny, rubbery particles that act like memory foam. Compressed so that the implant is smaller than the missing tooth when it's first inserted, these nanofibers gently expand once in place until the implant snugly fits the socket. This allows for a new minimally invasive procedure that preserves existing nerve endings in the tissue around the implant.
"This new implant and minimally invasive technique should help reconnect nerves, allowing the implant to 'talk' to the brain much like a real tooth," explains Chen. "This breakthrough also could transform other types of bone implants, like those used in hip replacements or fracture repair."
Six weeks after surgery, the implants stayed firmly in place in rats, with no signs of inflammation or rejection. "Imaging revealed a distinct space between the implant and the bone, suggesting that the implant had been integrated through soft tissue rather than the traditional fusion with the bone," says Chen. This may restore the nerves around it.
The research was conducted by Chen and School of Dental Medicine faculty Qisheng Tu and Zoe Zhu , as well as postdoctoral scholars Siddhartha Das (lead author) and Subhashis Ghosh at Tufts University School of Medicine .
These initial results are promising, but it will take more studies and time—for example, research in larger animal models to look at outcomes, including safety and efficacy—before trials can begin in human volunteers.
The researchers' next step will be a preclinical study to see if brain activity confirms that the new nerves surrounding the prototype implant indeed relay sensory information.
Citation: Research reported in this article was supported by the National Institutes of Health under award numbers RO1DK131444, R01DE030074, R01DE025681, and R01DE032006. Complete information on authors, funders, methodology, limitations, and conflicts of interest is available in the published paper.
Disclaimer: The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funders.
