Play-Doh-inspired biomaterial for bone regeneration shows potential in dentistry

Iveta Ramonaite, Dental Tribune International

Thu. 5 November 2026

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While existing bone repair materials can control bleeding, adhere to tissue or support bone regeneration, achieving all these functions in a material that also conforms to irregular defects and remains mechanically stable is challenging. Inspired by Play-Doh, researchers have developed iHEÄLS, a biomaterial that combines all these capabilities. Preclinical findings suggest that the material could have applications in oral and maxillofacial surgery, particularly in the management of irregular bone defects and the stabilisation of bone grafts. Dental Tribune International spoke with two of the researchers, Drs Su Ryon Shin and Niyou Wang, about the material, its potential relevance to bone regeneration and the research required before clinical applications can be considered.

Senior author Dr Su Ryon Shin, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in the US. (Image: Dr Su Ryon Shin)

What limitations of existing bone repair materials were you seeking to overcome with iHEÄLS?
Dr Shin: In complex fractures and traumatic injuries, surgeons may encounter irregular bone defects, severe bleeding and small bone fragments that are difficult to stabilise. Existing biomaterials often address these challenges separately. For example, conventional bone wax can control bleeding, but may interfere with bone healing, whereas many bone substitutes do not possess the flexibility, tissue adhesion and biological properties needed for complex injuries.

We wanted to develop a multifunctional biomaterial that could address these challenges simultaneously while remaining simple and practical to use. Our design was inspired by the mouldability of children’s Play-Doh. We translated this concept into iHEÄLS, a shape-adaptive hydro-dough made up of three interacting molecular networks and reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals. The material can conform to irregular defects, adhere to wet tissue, control bleeding and support bone regeneration.

In its injectable form, iHEÄLS can be delivered into small or difficult-to-access defects through a syringe. It can also be directly moulded and placed into larger, irregular wounds.

What were the key findings of your preclinical experiments regarding the material’s mechanical properties, haemostatic performance and ability to support bone regeneration?
Dr Wang: One of the most interesting findings was that the material remained adaptable even after cross-linking—the process of forming connections between polymer chains to create a gel. Unlike many conventional hydrogels, whose properties become largely fixed after gel formation, iHEÄLS can be mechanically reshaped and have components incorporated into it yet still retain its structural integrity, tissue adhesion and ability to rejoin after being cut or damaged.

For example, repeated stretching and folding reorganised its internal polymer network and nanoparticle distribution, nearly doubling its stiffness without changing its chemical composition. This mechanical conditioning also enhanced the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells, including higher levels of markers associated with bone formation and mineralised matrix deposition.

Another important finding was that iHEÄLS could incorporate additional components, including hydroxyapatite particles and autologous bone fragments, even after cross-linking. These components could be mixed directly into the material through simple mechanical manipulation, allowing it to function as an adaptable carrier for regenerative components while helping retain bone fragments within irregular defects.
These properties translated into promising results in our animal studies conducted by Dr Sang Jin Lee’s team at the University of Hong Kong. In a rat model of severe cranial bleeding, iHEÄLS combined with nano-hydroxyapatite and autologous bone fragments achieved haemostasis within approximately 50 seconds, whereas untreated defects continued bleeding for more than 10 minutes. In a separate experiment also involving skull defects, bone occupied approximately 34.8% of the assessed defect volume after eight weeks in rats treated with iHEÄLS and autologous bone fragments, nearly 6.8 times the proportion in the untreated control group. Histological analysis further demonstrated new bone formation and integration with the surrounding host bone.

How could the properties of iHEÄLS benefit dental procedures?
Dr Shin: We see considerable potential for this technology in dentistry. One major challenge in dentistry is managing irregular bone defects, especially after tooth extraction, traumatic injury or the surgical removal of cysts and other lesions. Such cases may involve bleeding, loss of bone volume and difficulties in retaining bone graft particles at the intended site. Successful regeneration requires not only an appropriate grafting material but also a stable environment that supports new bone formation. The properties of iHEÄLS could potentially help address several of these challenges.

“We hope that this study encourages a broader shift in how regenerative biomaterials are designed.”—Dr Niyou Wang, A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering

One particularly promising direction is alveolar ridge preservation and bone augmentation for dental implant placement. Because iHEÄLS can conform to irregular geometries and adhere to wet tissue, it could potentially serve as a mouldable matrix that fills complex bone defects while retaining regenerative components. This may be especially relevant to bone grafting procedures involving small bone chips collected during surgery, since they may be difficult to stabilise within a defect. A cohesive, adhesive material capable of retaining these fragments could potentially improve graft handling and localisation while supporting bone regeneration.

Another possibility is its application in oral and maxillofacial reconstruction, particularly in cases involving bone defects with complex geometries and associated soft-tissue injuries. The combination of shape adaptability, tissue adhesion, haemostasis and regenerative support could be particularly valuable in these situations.

We are also interested in expanding this platform by incorporating additional therapeutic components, including antibacterial drugs, anti-inflammatory agents and other bioactive molecules. The material’s maintained adaptability could potentially enable the incorporation of one or more therapeutic agents to address different clinical needs, such as infection control, biofilm prevention and enhanced tissue regeneration. However, the effectiveness of these additions in the oral environment, including their ability to prevent biofilm formation, remains to be investigated.

Lead author Dr Niyou Wang, a scientist at the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering in Singapore. (Image: Dr Niyou Wang)

What are the most important next steps to demonstrate whether this material can perform reliably in the oral environment?
Dr Shin: Further studies are necessary to evaluate its performance in alveolar bone defects and under the unique conditions of the oral environment, including saliva exposure, oral biofilms, mechanical loading and long-term material degradation. Its effectiveness in promoting osseointegration also remains to be established. Nevertheless, we believe that this work provides a promising foundation for developing a new generation of adaptable biomaterials for bone regeneration and oral reconstructive procedures.

Beyond the findings of this study, how do you envision the future development of adaptable biomaterials for regenerative applications?
Dr Wang: We hope that this study encourages a broader shift in how regenerative biomaterials are designed. Traditionally, many biomaterials are developed with relatively fixed properties and specific functions. Our research suggests that a material does not necessarily have to lose its adaptability after cross-linking. Instead, it may remain mechanically and biologically modifiable, allowing its properties and composition to be tailored to different tissue requirements.

Ultimately, our goal is to develop biomaterials that are not only biologically effective but also practical for clinicians to handle and adapt to individual patients. We believe that closer collaboration between materials scientists, dental researchers and clinicians will be essential to translate these advances into meaningful improvements in patient care.

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