Multi-material additive manufacturing of dental ceramics

The clinical longevity of dental implants largely depends on the osseointegration potential of the implant fixture and soft-tissue attachment to the abutment and crown (cervical part), both being highly influenced by surface chemistry and topography. The osseointegration potential of zirconia is currently suboptimal, since human clinical trials report peri-implant bone loss ending in more/earlier failures as compared to gold-standard titanium dental implants. Peri-implantitis persistently threats the clinical lifetime of dental implants, for which no effective remedy is today available. Yet, due to a lack of relevant 3D cell-culture models and long-term in-vivo studies, the nature of cell-zirconia surface interactions is insufficiently explored. We aim to address the knowledge gaps that exist between material design/manufacturing of zirconia and its final clinical application as dental implant. We will use an interdisciplinary research approach, researching novel own-developed damage-tolerant zirconia with multi-material 3D-print capability in combination with promising surface modifications.