Abstract:

Objective  This study aims to construct a chitosan (CS)–polycaprolactone (PCL)–hydroxyapatite (HA) composite biomimetic scaffold to replace condyle and to explore the tissue engineering applications of condylar. Methods  A resin mold of the mandibular condyle was prepared by using rapid prototyping techniques. A mandibular condylar integrated biomimetic scaffold model was prepared by solution casting-ice Lek. PCL and CS were mixed at a ratio of 4︰1. HA at quality ratios of 40%, 50%, 60%, and 70% was added to groups a, b, c, and d, respectively. The microscopic morphology, porosity, infrared spectra, X-ray diffraction pattern, and mechanical properties of the scaffold were observed. Results The scaffold that includes both upper and lower parts displayed the same features (i.e., shape, yellow-white appearance, and hard texture) as the mandibular condyle. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the composite scaffold had a 3D network spatial structure, 70%–85% porosity, and 10–200 μm pore size. Infrared spectra showed that the peak intensity reduced with decreasing HA content. X-ray diffraction showed that the diffraction peak decreased with increasing HA content. Suitable tensile and compressive and flexural strength were discovered in the presence of 50% HA. Conclusion  The scaffold prepared by solution casting-ice Lek shows favorable comprehensive features and is expected to replace human condylar.

Key words: mandibular condyle, bone tissue engineering, biomimetic scaffolds, chitosan, polycaprolactone, hy-droxyapatite