Dental implants have revolutionized dentistry, providing a reliable solution for missing teeth. Introduced over 60 years ago by Dr. Per-Ingvar Brånemark, titanium implants now achieve success rates up to 98 percent. Yet one challenge remains: peri-implantitis, a bacterial infection that erodes the bone around an implant.
Current treatments—including professional cleaning, flap surgery, or implantoplasty—can be unpredictable and invasive. If these methods fail, implants may loosen and fall out.
A new approach from the University of Louisville aims to change that. Dr. Omar Moustafa, a prosthodontist and researcher, has developed a modular implant design, currently under provisional patent as “Reattach,” targeting patients at high risk of peri-implantitis.
“The idea came during residency,” Moustafa recalls. “We had a patient with early implant failure, and I wondered if we could modify the implant design.” He refined the concept with Dr. Hassan Alamri at The Ohio State University before pursuing it further at Louisville.
Turning the concept into a prototype required engineering expertise. The team collaborated with the Additive Manufacturing Institute of Science & Technology (AMIST) at UofL’s Speed School of Engineering. Justin Gillham, AMIST coordinator, and engineering student Owen Mattingly helped model the design and performed finite element analysis to ensure mechanical stability.
Within six months, the team produced a large-scale plastic prototype, which can now be translated into titanium implants for clinical use.
Despite the rapid development, Moustafa notes that the implant must undergo rigorous testing. “It’s considered a medical device, so it needs bench studies, animal testing, and human trials before FDA clearance,” he said.
The project highlights the power of interdisciplinary collaboration. AMIST frequently partners with researchers across campus to apply engineering solutions to healthcare, athletics, and industry challenges. “Engineering helped make the concept a reality,” Moustafa says. If successful, the modular implant could offer new dental options for decades.
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