In Vitro Tooth Root Regeneration via Cell-Wrapped Scaffold

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for regenerating teeth require xenotransplantation or allotransplantation, which are associated with immune rejection and infection risks, and cannot form complete teeth or periodontal tissues through in vitro culture.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the formation of a culture core with a tooth wrapped in a cell-containing base material, using specific cell types and a medium with growth factors to cultivate a tooth root and periodontal tissues in vitro, without the need for xenotransplantation or allotransplantation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If xenotransplantation or allotransplantation is used to regenerate teeth, then tooth formation can be achieved through in vivo culturing, but immune rejection and infection risks occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetooth regeneration successVSAvoidimmune rejection and infection
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a biodegradable polymer scaffold as an intermediary structure that provides a three-dimensional framework for cell growth and differentiation. This scaffold mediates between the initial cell implantation and the final regenerated tooth structure, enabling controlled in vitro formation of tooth tissues including dentin, enamel, and periodontal tissues without requiring xenotransplantation or allotransplantation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The tooth regeneration process is segmented into distinct phases: (1) preparation of tooth germ cells in vitro, (2) implantation into biodegradable polymer scaffolds, (3) controlled culture periods for different tissue formations (dentin first, then enamel, finally periodontal tissues), and (4) gradual scaffold degradation. This segmentation allows each tissue type to form under optimized conditions, achieving reliable tooth regeneration without immune rejection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If in vivo culturing is used to form complete teeth with periodontal tissues, then tooth structure can be achieved, but the process is complex and requires transplantation procedures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetooth structure formationVSAvoidtransplantation procedure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs self-organizing properties of tooth germ cells where cells automatically differentiate and organize into proper tooth structures when provided with appropriate scaffolds and growth factors. The biodegradable polymer scaffold is designed to degrade automatically as the tooth forms, eliminating the need for complex transplantation and removal procedures. The system serves itself by using the scaffold's structural guidance and gradual degradation to guide tooth formation without external intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Tooth germ cells are pre-differentiated and pre-organized into tooth germ structures in vitro before implantation into the biodegradable polymer scaffold. This preliminary action allows cells to establish proper tissue organization and initiation centers for tooth formation before the actual regeneration process begins in the patient's mouth, simplifying the overall procedure while ensuring precise tooth structure formation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2329851B1Method for forming tooth root-periodontal tissue unit and regenerated tooth
Publication Date: 2017.04.12 THE NIPPON DENTAL UNIVERSITY
  • EP2329851B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2329851B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2329851B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Provided are a method for forming at least a tooth root in a tooth containing a tooth crown through in vitro culturing; i.e., without using xenotransplantation or allotransplantation techniques (in vivo culturing); and a regenerated tooth obtained by the method. This method is a method for forming at least a tooth root in a tooth containing a tooth crown, the method including forming a culture core containing the tooth and a cell-containing base material, the tooth being wrapped with the cell-containing base material, and culturing the culture core in a medium so as to form at least the tooth root in the tooth contained in the culture core, wherein the cell-containing base material contains at least one kind of cells selected from periodontal ligament-derived cells, bone marrow-derived cells, dental follicle-derived cells, dental pulp-derived cells and dental papilla-derived cells and wherein the medium contains predetermined components.