Advances in 3D Printed Scaffolds for Periodontal Regeneration

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent 3D printing advancements in creating personalized scaffolds for periodontal tissue regeneration, focusing on materials, design, and therapeutic delivery.

Contribution

The paper highlights innovations in 3D printing for periodontal regeneration, including personalized design and spatiotemporal delivery of therapeutic cues.

Findings

3D printing enables patient-specific scaffolds that mimic natural periodontal tissue interfaces.

Ion-releasing ceramics and ECM-mimetic hydrogels improve osteogenesis and angiogenesis.

Controlled release of therapeutic agents modulates immunity and tissue microenvironments.

Abstract

To compile recent advances in scaffold-guided periodontal regeneration (SGPR) enabled by 3D printing, focusing on innovations in materials, multiphasic/anisotropic design, image-guided personalization, and the spatiotemporal delivery of therapeutic cues.

Composite scaffold systems, extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimetic hydrogels, and ion-releasing ceramics (e.g., Mg/Sr/Ca-phosphates, bioactive glass, among others) enhance osteogenesis, periodontal ligament (PDL) formation, and angiogenesis. Melt electrowriting, extrusion, and inkjet printing enable the creation of patient-specific, multiphasic and anisotropic scaffolds that mimic cementum-PDL-bone interfaces. Controlled release of ions, growth factors, genes, and antimicrobials modulate immunity and microenvironments. Emerging directions include in situ and 4D bioprinting, immuno-instructive and prevascularized constructs, and CAD models derived from clinical imaging, which are essential for manufacturing personalized scaffolds and grafts.

3D printing is advancing SGPR toward functional, personalized therapies; however, its translation depends on reliable vascularization, immune modulation, long-term mechanics, scalable manufacturing, and clear regulatory and safety pathways. Standardized workflows, hybrid/4D printing, machine-learning-guided design, and rigorous clinical studies are essential to accelerate clinical adoption.

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