An Empirical Model Linking Physico-Chemical Biomaterial Characteristics to Intra-Oral Bone Formation

Facial trauma, bone resection due to cancer, periodontal diseases, and bone atrophy following tooth extraction often leads to alveolar bone defects that require bone regeneration in order to restore dental function. Guided bone regeneration using synthetic biomaterials has been suggested as an alternative approach to autologous bone grafts. The efficiency of bone substitute materials seems to be influenced by their physico-chemical characteristics; however, the debate is still ongoing on what constitutes optimal biomaterial characteristics. The purpose of this study was to develop an empirical model allowing the assessment of the bone regeneration potential of new biomaterials on the basis of their physico-chemical characteristics, potentially giving directions for the design of a new generation of dental biomaterials. A quantitative data set was built composed of physico-chemical characteristics of seven commercially available intra-oral bone biomaterials and their in vivo response. This empirical model allowed the identification of the construct parameters driving optimized bone formation. The presented model provides a better understanding of the influence of driving biomaterial properties in the bone healing process and can be used as a tool to design bone biomaterials with a more controlled and custom-made composition and structure, thereby facilitating and improving the clinical translation.

Automated summary

Facial trauma, cancer bone resection, periodontal diseases, and bone atrophy after tooth extraction often result in alveolar bone defects, which require bone regeneration for dental function restoration. Guided bone regeneration using synthetic biomaterials has been proposed as an alternative to autologous bone grafts. This study aimed to develop an empirical model for evaluating the bone regeneration potential of new biomaterials based on their physico-chemical characteristics, potentially guiding the design of new dental biomaterials. A quantitative dataset of physico-chemical characteristics of seven commercially available intra-oral bone biomaterials and their in vivo response was constructed. The empirical model identified the construct parameters that drive optimized bone formation, providing insights for the design of bone biomaterials.