Creating personalized treatments to regenerate damaged dental ligaments
Official title: Personalized bioprinting technology for de novo PDL regeneration
Funded at University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr · NIH-10667088 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new way to help people who have lost a tooth due to injury by using special cells to grow back the tissue that supports the tooth, making it easier to replant the tooth and improve healing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $423,500 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DE032151-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10667088 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have experienced tooth avulsion and are seeking options for tooth replantation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with teeth that are not suitable for replantation or those without periodontal ligament damage may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new technology to regenerate the periodontal ligament (PDL) in patients who have experienced tooth avulsion, a serious dental injury. The approach involves using stem cells from the periodontal ligament, which are encapsulated in microspheres and then printed onto the tooth root using a specialized 3D bioprinter. This personalized bioprinting aims to restore the PDL by mimicking its natural structure and function, potentially improving the outcomes of tooth replantation. Patients may benefit from this innovative treatment if they have lost teeth due to avulsion.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to effective treatments that restore the periodontal ligament, improving tooth survival and patient outcomes after dental injuries.
How similar studies have gone: Previous large animal studies have shown promise for cell-based therapies in managing avulsed teeth, indicating potential success for this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huang, George T.j — University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: Huang, George T.j
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.