ArBlast aims to put to practical use and commercialize the bone regeneration technique developed by Professor Minoru Ueda at Nagoya University. Periodontal disease, in its advanced stages, causes the loss of alveolar bone that supports the teeth. Existing methods, such as autologous bone transplant, replacing missing alveolar bone with artificial material, and xenogenic bone transplant impose great strain on the patient’s body because they pose the risk of inflammation and rejection. On the basis of our state-of-the-art tissue engineering technology, we have established a safe treatment method that uses the patient’s own cells.

* Tissue engineering = Regenerative medical approach that uses techniques and know-how of medical science, cell biology and material engineering to regenerate tissues from cells

These techniques are believed to be applicable to the regeneration of any bones in the human body. Potential applications include treatment of fractures suffered by osteoporosis patients, whose number is expected to grow with advancement of the aging society.

Treatment using injection-type cultured bone helps patients suffering from bone absorption, in whom dental implantation is not practicable. The cultured bone regenerates the patient’s alveolar bone, enabling dental implantation. This treatment takes about 6 months less than conventional autogenous bone transplant and does not require the patient to have any bone removed, so imposes little strain on the patient’s body. With these advantages, this procedure is believed to greatly enhance the patient’s QOL.

References
Yamada Y, Ueda M, Hibi H, Nagasaka T. Translational research for injectable tissue-engineered bone regeneration using mesenchymal stem cells and platelet-rich plasma: from basic research to clinical case study. Cell Transplant. 2004; 13: 343-355

Ueda M, Yamada Y, Ozawa R, Okazaki Y. Clinical case reports of injectable tissue-engineered bone for alveolar augmentation with simultaneous implant placement. Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent. 2005; 25: 129-137

Yamada Y, Ueda M, Hibi H, Baba S. A novel approach to periodontal tissue regeneration with mesenchymal stem cells and platelet-rich plasma using tissue engineering technology: A clinical case report. Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent. 2006; 26: 363-369