3D architected degradable scaffold with an integrated barrier functional shell for alveolar bone regeneration

To address the limitations of traditional barrier membranes in alveolar bone regeneration, this study aimed to design and fabricate 3D architected degradable scaffolds with an integrated barrier functional shell and explore their osteogenic efficacy, particularly the effect of shell microstructure on osteogenesis. Four types of scaffolds were fabricated using degradable 45S5 bioactive glass as the raw material through digital light processing technology. Specifically, the control group consisted of scaffold with barrier functional shell that featured through-holes, and the three experimental groups comprised scaffolds with barrier functional shells featured non-through-holes, each with micro-pits of varying depths (0 μm, 60 μm, and 120 μm). The integrated scaffold exhibits excellent biological activity, appropriate degradability of 29.87 ± 6.89% at 12 weeks, and matched mechanical properties with compressive strength of 9.12 ± 1.82 MPa and elastic modulus of 0.98 ± 0.23 GPa. Experimental results indicated that the non-through-holes shell groups achieved a significantly greater osteogenic height of 4.53 ± 0.11 mm compared to the through-holes group of 3.25 ± 0.14 mm. Notably, the deepest micro-pits at 120 μm group showed the most remarkable osteogenic efficiency with a bone volume fraction of 30.72 ± 5.52% and a bone area fraction of 28.29 ± 3.67%. In conclusion, this study confirms that the scaffold with an integrated barrier functional shell possesses excellent barrier and osteogenic properties. By adjusting the design of the microstructure on the shell, its barrier function can be effectively regulated, thereby providing a practical and effective solution for alveolar bone regeneration.