Researchers from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and Tufts University School of Medicine recently described a new approach to dental implants that could better replicate how natural teeth feel and function. Their study, published in Scientific Reports, shows early success with both a “smart” implant and a new gentler surgical technique in rodents.

“Natural teeth connect to the jawbone through soft tissue rich in nerves, which help sense pressure and texture and guide how we chew and speak. Implants lack that sensory feedback,” says Jake Jinkun Chen, DI09, a professor of periodontology and director of the Division of Oral Biology at the School of Dental Medicine and the senior author on the study.