Healthy Teeth

The Healthy Teeth project focuses on new treatments for periodontitis through the development of innovative materials, injectable fluids, 3D printed implants and targeted repair products to reduce inflammation and permanently restore oral health.
Project Objectives :
– An innovative approach to treating periodontitis.
Innovative technologies will be developed to treat periodontitis, a disease that is estimated to affect more than 1.5 million people and costs our FWVL Interreg region more than €4 billion a year in healthcare.
– A major oral health problem
Periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, with serious consequences for patients’ quality of life. A person without teeth is disabled and excluded from normal life, leading to loneliness, depression and lower life expectancy.
Periodontitis is caused by “bad” bacteria that form a biofilm at the interface between tooth and gums. This film is difficult to remove by simply brushing the teeth. The “bad” bacteria secrete substances that attack the gums, causing localized inflammation and partial loss of attachment between tooth and gum. As a result, a pocket forms, allowing the “bad” bacteria to multiply and the inflammation to spread, leading to deeper and deeper periodontal pockets. In advanced stages, the bone in which the teeth are anchored is affected.
Healthy Teeth meets three main objectives: eliminating harmful bacteria, reducing gum disease and preventing and restoring bone loss.
A multidisciplinary collaboration
This project brings together experts from different fields: clinicians, chemists, pharmacists, materials specialists, engineers and companies, who join forces to develop innovative technologies and transform them into practical solutions.
Expected outcomes of the project:
Healthy Teeth will develop innovative technologies to better treat periodontitis, including:
1. Innovative materials that are liquid and can be easily injected into a periodontal pocket: the liquid diffuses through the cavity and solidifies when exposed to light.
2. New implants formed in situ from these liquids: formed directly in the periodontal pockets, they release the active ingredients in a controlled manner and adapt perfectly to the cavity.
3. New products to restore mild/moderate bone loss: Active ingredients will be added to bone cement that fills these defects and protects the surrounding tissue from infection and inflammation.
4. Innovative “bio-inks” for 3D printing of personalized implants: Designed by Bio Inx (operator), these inks will enable the production of personalized implants that meet the specific needs of patients.