While we may not notice it in daily life, we rely on sensory feedback from our teeth not only to enjoy the texture of food but also to chew it with the right amount of force. With conventional implants, sensation is lost in the artificial tooth, meaning patients may use too much force when eating, causing damage to other teeth and the jaw over time.<\/p>\n
This problem could end thanks to scientists in China, who have developed a piezoelectric tooth implant that transforms the mechanical forces of chewing into electrical signals. These signals are then sent to the brain via the tooth nerve to restore sensation.<\/p>\n
\u201cExisting implants are primarily designed to restore masticatory function yet fail to completely recover the sensory feedback of natural teeth,\u201d states Yunyun Han, professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. \u201cOver 90% [of] patients reported the recovery of masticatory perception after being implanted with the piezoelectric tooth compared with those with commercial ceramic dental crowns.\u201d<\/p>\n
For years, researchers have explored a number of strategies to make tooth implants capable of sensing chewing forces. However, success has been limited so far.<\/p>\n
In natural teeth, sensation begins at the ligament and bone that wrap the tooth\u2019s root, where the nerve endings are located. Specialized mechanoreceptors in these tissues are responsible for converting force into sensory signals that then get sent to the brain.<\/p>\n
With artificial teeth, these receptors disappear. Previous attempts at recovering their function have mainly focused on regenerating the missing ligaments or injured nerves, but none have yet proven effective.<\/p>\n
Han\u2019s team came up with an alternative strategy where the tooth implant is made using piezoelectric materials that can replace the role of natural mechanoreceptors. Their implant has a core made from a piezoelectric material that converts mechanical forces into electrical signals. The researchers chose to make this core out of barium calcium zirconate, a material known to be safe to humans.<\/p>\n
A ceramic crown surrounds the core, protecting it and replicating the role of natural enamel. Both components were 3D-printed and assembled into personalized implants with the exact size and shape needed for each patient.<\/p>\n
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