Emerging supramolecular and living materials in oral medicine

Abstract

Conventional dental materials lack the ability to promote regeneration, necessitating innovative approaches for repairing dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) tissues. Supramolecular materials with reversible, tunable interactions, and engineered living materials (ELMs) that mimic natural tissue dynamics, present a promising pathway towards regenerative solutions in oral medicine. This review introduces the potential of these biomaterials, focusing on their applications in oral bioprinting, therapeutic delivery, and organ-on-a-chip (OOC) systems. We discuss the integration of these technologies into clinical applications, and offer insights into future developments that may redefine oral healthcare by enabling the regeneration of complex, dynamic tissue structures and improving therapeutic outcomes in oral diseases.