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Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Oral Biofilm Formation on Different Materials for Dental Implants
Published on: June 24, 2018
Ultraviolet light-treated zirconia with different roughness affects function of human gingival fibroblasts in vitro:
Yang Yang1, Jianfeng Zhou, Xiaoqiang Liu
1Department of Prosthodontics, Peking University School of Stomatology, Haidian District, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China.
Objectives:
To evaluate whether ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation of smooth and rough zirconia disks enhances its biocompatibility with human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs).
Materials And Methods:
Zirconia disks were divided into four groups: smooth control (S-C), smooth with UV light treatment (S-UV), rough control (R-C), and rough with UV light treatment (R-UV). The surface morphology and wettability were analyzed, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was carried out. The cultured HGFs' adhesive density, morphology, proliferation, and collagen synthesis were measured on different time points from 3 h to 7 days.
Results:
After 24-h UV light treatment, contact angles decreased from 51.98° (S-C) and 63.87° (R-C) to 33.76° (S-UV) and 36.15° (R-UV). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that surface C/O ratio reduced from 1.86 and 2.39 to 1.33 and 1.19. After UV light treatment, cells initial spreading areas and perimeters were doubled on S-UV disks and nearly tripled on R-UV disks. Three hours cell adhesion was enhanced on S-UV disks, and 24-h cell density was increased on R-UV. Cell proliferation of 48 or 72 h was all significantly changed on UV-treated disks. Cells on R-UV also released highest level of Col-1 after 3 and 7 days, whereas those on S-UV produced less levels compared with control.
Conclusion:
Our study demonstrated for the first time that UV light treatment on rough (Ra = 0.19 ± 0.03 μm) zirconia had a positive effect on behavior of HGFs, including 24-h cell adhesion, proliferation, and collagen release. The effect varied with surface roughness and time point. Surface morphology and hydrophilicity, as two interacted factors, both are governed on HGFs behavior.

