Imagine a dental implant that acts like a smart shield, fighting off bacteria before they can cause an infection. Instead of just being a piece of metal, these implants use special coatings and 'smart' releases of medicine to keep the gums sealed and the bone strong. It is like giving the implant its own built-in immune system to stop the common problem of implants loosening over time.
Peri-implant infections affect 20% of patients, leading to implant instability and bone loss. Current treatments are often not predictive or effective in severe cases, creating a significant socio-economic burden.
Functional antimicrobial coatings for titanium and zirconia implants and 3D-printed multi-material crowns/abutments with nanotube-driven smart release systems.
If you are a dental implant manufacturer dealing with high rates of peri-implantitis—which affects 20% of patients—this project developed functional coatings for titanium and zirconia that reduce infection risk. This allows you to offer a premium, high-stability product that improves long-term success rates.
If you are a biomaterials SME dealing with the challenge of controlled drug delivery in implants—this project developed additive manufacturing combined with nanotube grafting. This enables the smart, conditional release of antimicrobial compounds only when bacteria are detected.
If you are a clinic chain dealing with the socio-economic burden of implant failures and costly revisions—this project developed a customizable solution for crowns, abutments, and fixtures. This reduces the need for corrective surgeries and improves patient outcomes.
Based on available project data, a detailed cost-benefit analysis is currently underway in WP6 to determine the economic viability and regulatory impact.
The project is currently preparing to scale up production and generate preclinical efficacy data within WP5.
Based on available project data, the project is developing an innovation management strategy and a roadmap for commercialisation, including technology transfer options in WP6.
The project includes a specific regulatory analysis as part of its cost-benefit study in WP6 to ensure the path to market is clear.
The project runs until 2027-05-31, with the goal of enabling rapid progression to first-in-human studies immediately after the project ends.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, featuring a 42% industry ratio with 5 SMEs and one major dental implant manufacturer. With 12 partners across 7 countries, the project blends high-level academic research (5 universities) with practical industrial scaling and innovation management expertise.
Contact the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven research office regarding the NOMAD project.
Contact us to facilitate a technology transfer partnership with the NOMAD consortium.
