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Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Designing CAD/CAM Surgical Guides for Maxillary Reconstruction Using an In-house Approach
Published on: August 24, 2018
Mussel-inspired dual-functional PEG hydrogel inducing mineralization and inhibiting infection in maxillary bone
Huiyong Xu1, Ge Zhang2, Kaige Xu3
1Department of Stomatology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangdong, Guangzhou 510515, China; Department of Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangdong, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Abstract:
Infection compromises healing process after bone fracture. An anti-bacterial bone graft synthesized from polymer and mineralization components is becoming preferable for its accessibility and low cost and tunable chem-physic properties. In this study, mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) was used to synthesize in-situ silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and mineralization on polyethylene hydrogel (PEG). With dual functions of anti-bacteria and graft mineralization, we found the hydrogel (AgNPs/PDA) promoted bone generation and show significant antibacterial activity. Specifically, the gel upregulated the expression of osteogenic genes of bone sialoprotein gene, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and runt-related transcription factor 2. It also significantly inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In vivo the AgNPs/PDA gel could repair maxillary bone defect efficiently.
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