I-Corps: Volumetric Light-Assisted Manufacturing of Dental Implants and Tissue Scaffolds

这个I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发牙科产品的生物制造工具。迄今为止，大多数牙科植入物都是通过选择性地应用单一起始材料，为每种情况制作特定的模具来制造的。这种方法的主要限制是低制造速度、显著的劳动力成本以及所生产的材料缺乏稳定性。在不限制植入物或组织支架的期望功能的情况下实现高制造速率和稳定的构建体是至关重要的。理想的牙科种植体制造方法应该在几分钟内制作模具。 现代3D打印技术和适当的材料选择使这项技术能够重建丢失的组织部分。这个I-Corps项目是基于开发一个可定制的，光辅助的3D打印平台，可以快速制造聚合物基油墨和水凝胶。 该技术将用于制造稳定和功能性（牙科）植入物。这种聚合物油墨基于材料中的光响应分子。该技术将使用传统水凝胶或聚合物前体中甲基丙烯酸酯基团的紫外线（UV）交联，以确保所选植入物的长期稳定性。该技术的优势包括：用于多组分生物材料的模块化腔室;植入物、支架和手术工具的快速制造;显著的控制创建水平和低成本产品。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a biomanufacturing tool for dental products. To date, most dental implants have been made by selective application of a single starting material by making a specific mold for each case. The main limitations of such approaches are low fabrication speeds, significant labor costs, and lack of stability in materials that are produced. It is crucial to achieve a high fabricate rate and stable constructs without limiting the desired function of the implant or tissue scaffold. An ideal dental implant fabrication method should make molds within minutes. Modern 3D printing techniques and proper material selection enable this technology to rebuild portions of lost tissue.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a customizable, light-assisted, 3D printing platform that allows for quick fabrication of polymer-based inks and hydrogels. The technology will be used to fabricate stable and functional (dental) implants. Such polymeric inks are based on photoresponsive molecules in the material. This technology will use ultraviolet (UV) crosslinking of methacrylate groups in conventional hydrogels or polymer precursors for long-term stability of the selected implant. Advantages of this technology include: a modular chamber for multi-component biomaterials; very rapid fabrication of implants, scaffolds, and surgical tools; a significant level of control creation, and a low-cost product.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.