Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Robotic Dental Implants for Therapeutic Stem Cell Delivery

Award Number: R56DE035660
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/11/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 09/14/2027

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Robotic Dental Implants for Therapeutic Stem Cell Delivery - Project Summary Over 150 million individuals in the United States are affected by tooth loss and the use of dental implants is projected to exceed 15% of the nation’s population by 2026. However, approximately 10% of patients who undergo dental implant surgery experience mechanical loosening of the implants, a complication that significantly reduces their quality of life. This issue is especially concerning as most patients undergoing dental implant surgeries are in their late 50s to early 70s, a time when delayed bone healing and age-related bone loss increase the risk of implant failure both in the short and long term. A key factor in the success of dental implants is osseointegration, which refers to the formation of structural and functional connection between the bone and the implant surface during post-surgical healing. This process ensures the stability and mechanical performance of the dental implant. Current implant designs enhance osseointegration by using surface modification techniques to improve local stem cell adhesion. However, the passive recruitment of existing stem cells limits this approach. Stem cell-based regenerative medicine offers a promising alternative to improve long-term osseointegration. However, because stem cells are typically injected preoperatively, this method is less effective in addressing mechanical loosening that may occur during the bone healing process. To overcome this challenge, this project proposes an innovative wirelessly actuated robotic dental implant for stem cell delivery featuring microfluidic channels, a magnetic pump, and a magnetic valve integrated into conventional titanium dental implants. This new implant is capable of directly delivering stem cells to the bone-implant interface. Furthermore, the implant is refillable, enabling prolonged stem cell delivery both before surgery and throughout the bone healing process. Additionally, the robotic dental implant is remotely activated by handheld motorized magnet arrays, facilitating routine preventive operations at home and providing significant time and cost savings for patients. This innovative design presents a new solution for precise, long-term local regenerative medicine delivery in oral surgeries. Central hypothesis: the wireless, controllable stem cell-release capability holds significant potential for efficient and minimally invasive post-surgical stem cell delivery, ultimately contributing to long-term implant success. The following aims are proposed: Aim 1: To optimize the dental implant for stem cell release and biocompatibility; Aim 2: To assess cell viability and osseointegration following stem cell release in vitro; Aim 3: To assess robotic dental implants for stem cell-based osseointegration in vivo. The clinical significance of the proposed innovative dental implant lies in its minimal modifications to standard titanium implants commonly used in clinical practices, while incorporating refillability for long-term, sustained stem cell release and prolonged post-surgery delivery. This innovation has the potential to significantly enhance long-term osseointegration and reduce implant failure rates, especially in the elderly population. The cutting-edge technique can be seamlessly integrated with biomedical devices and regenerative medicine, offering promising applications in various craniofacial bone surgeries.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $456,544 )
2026	2026	TEXAS A&M ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION	3124 TAMU	COLLEGE STATION	TX	77843	BRAZOS	USA	Oral Diseases and Disorders Research	000	1	9/16/2026	NEW	$456,544
														Subtotal = $456,544

Grand Total All Awards = $456,544

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Robotic Dental Implants for Therapeutic Stem Cell Delivery

Award Number: R56DE035660

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/11/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 09/14/2027

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer