Host–material interaction-guided bioink formulation, structural design, and bioactive functionalization of 3D-printed and bioprinted biomaterials for oral tissue reconstruction

Oral and maxillofacial tissue defects impair both anatomical integrity and essential oral functions. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting offers a promising strategy for fabricating patient-specific constructs with controlled architecture and biological composition. However, many current studies primarily focus on fabrication performance, whereas the host responses that determine long-term regeneration remain insufficiently integrated into material design. In this review, we discuss 3D-printed and bioprinted biomaterials for oral tissue reconstruction from a host–material interaction-guided perspective. We first summarize the regenerative requirements of oral soft tissues, hard tissues, and soft–hard interfaces, together with the material systems and printing technologies for oral tissue reconstruction. We then examine how printed constructs interact with the oral microenvironment through physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms. These interactions shape regeneration by directing early host recognition, subsequent immune and vascular remodeling, and eventual microbial balance, matrix maturation, and tissue integration. Based on these mechanisms, we further discuss three major design strategies: bioink formulation to construct a regenerative microenvironment, structural design to guide spatial organization and mechanical adaptation, and bioactive functionalization to direct host responses toward tissue-specific repair. Representative applications in soft-tissue repair, hard-tissue regeneration, and periodontal interface reconstruction are highlighted. Finally, current barriers and future opportunities for clinical translation are discussed. This review provides an oral-specific, host–material interaction-guided framework for developing host-instructive 3D-printed and bioprinted constructs for functional oral tissue regeneration.