Dental implants have revolutionized tooth replacement, with osseointegrated implants standing out due to their high long-term success rates. However, a critical limitation of these implants is the absence of the periodontal ligament (pdl), which naturally exists in teeth. The lack of pdl results in ankylosed implants that lack the physiological mobility, proprioception, and shock-absorbing capacities seen in natural dentition. Moreover, implants without pdl are more susceptible to peri-implant inflammation, potentially leading to greater bone loss compared to natural teeth.

This review addresses the shortcomings of current implant designs and explores the concept of ligaplant-a tissue-engineered solution aimed at regenerating an artificial pdl around dental implants. Leveraging advancements in bioengineering, ligaplant represents a next-generation implant system capable of mimicking the functional dynamics of natural teeth by offering proprioception and shock absorption. This innovation holds the potential to bridge the gap between conventional osseointegrated implants and nature’s design, paving the way for improved implant longevity and patient outcomes.