CBCT-Based Design of Patient-Specific 3D Bone Grafts for Periodontal Regeneration

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to define and implement a methodology for the 3D design of customized patient-specific scaffolds (bone grafts) for the regeneration of periodontal tissues. The prerequisite of the proposed workflow is the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the periodontal defect, i.e., the 3D model of the hard tissues (alveolar bone and teeth) around the periodontal damage, which is proposed to be generated via a segmentation and 3D editing methodology using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) data. Two types of methodologies for 3D periodontal scaffold (graft) design are described: (i) The methodology of designing periodontal defect customized block grafts and (ii) the methodology of designing extraction socket preservation customized grafts. The application of the proposed methodology for the generation of a 3D model of the hard tissues around periodontal defects of a patient using a CBCT scan and the 3D design of the two aforementioned types of scaffolds for personalized periodontal regenerative treatment shows promising results. The outputs of this work will be used as the basis for the 3D printing of bioabsorbable scaffolds of personalized treatment against periodontitis, which will simultaneously be used as sustained-release drug carriers.