Study: Use of prefabricated blood vessels may revolutionize root canals

By Tracy Brawley June 12, 2017 Portland, Ore.

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Luiz Bertassoni, D.D.S., Ph.D. holds one of the teeth used to create a new process to treat root canals. Artificial blood vessels are engineered which are used to help regenerate teeth, possibly changing the way root canal treatments will be done in the future. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

Luiz Bertassoni, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Luiz Bertassoni, D.D.S., Ph.D. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

New research on root canal treatment

Luiz Bertassoni, D.D.S., Ph.D., assistant professor of restorative dentistry in the OHSU School of Dentistry has helped develop a process to engineer artificial blood vessels which are used to help regenerate teeth, possibly changing the way root canal treatments will be done in the future. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

New research on root canal treatment

Artificial blood vessels are shown here in a hydrogel which forms the cell laden scaffold used in a new root canal process. Luiz Bertassoni, D.D.S., Ph.D., assistant professor of restorative dentistry in the OHSU School of Dentistry has helped develop a process to engineer artificial blood vessels which are used to help regenerate teeth, possibly changing the way root canal treatments will be done in the future. (OHSU/Kristyna Wentz-Graff)

New research on root canal treatment

After seven days in culture, cell laden dental pulp-like tissue proliferated near the tooth walls and artificial blood vessels formed within the tooth. (Image courtesy of Scientific Reports)

New research on root canal treatment

Representative images of pre-vascularized pulp-like tissue construct show cross-sectional views of a fabricated microchannel. (Image courtesy of Scientific Reports)