Advances in Tissue Engineering Approaches for Craniomaxillofacial Bone Reconstruction

Abstract

Trauma, congenital abnormalities and pathologies such as cancer can cause significant defects in craniofacial bone. Regeneration of the bone in the craniofacial area presents a unique set of challenges due to its complexity and association with various other tissues. Bone grafts and bone cement are the traditional treatment options but pose their own issues with regards to integration and morbidity. This has driven the search for materials which mimic the natural bone and can act as scaffolds to guide bone growth. Novel technology and computer aided manufacturing have allowed us to control material parameters such as mechanical strength and pore geometry. In this chapter, we elaborate the current status of materials and techniques used in fabrication of scaffolds for craniomaxillofacial bone tissue engineering and discuss the future prospects for advancements.

Clinically relevant preclinical animal models for testing novel cranio‐maxillofacial bone 3D‐printed biomaterials

“…Since 3D printing is a crucial technology for patient‐specificity, an inevitable direction for future CMF bone repair strategies, only studies that use a scaffold‐based tissue engineered approach fabricated using additive manufacturing printing have been included, with the aim to regenerate critical sized bone defects and using a CMF bone model. We did not focus on all biomaterials as these have been well described and discussed in other recent reviews 74–76 . Further inclusion criteria are that the studies are being recent, being published between 2015 and 2021, and need to contain an animal study in which the 3D‐printed tissue‐engineered construct has been evaluated.…”