Surface Activation of Titanium Dental Implants by Using UVC-LED Irradiation

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Surface Chemistry
• Dental Implantology

Background:

• Organic contaminants on titanium implants lead to degradation, termed 'ageing of titanium', limiting bioactivity.
• Photofunctionalization via ultraviolet C (UVC) light is a method to remove these contaminants and restore surface activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of novel light-emitting diode (LED) technology for removing hydrocarbon contaminants from commercially available titanium dental implants.
• To evaluate the impact of UVC irradiation on the surface chemistry and morphology of different titanium implant surfaces.

Main Methods:

• Three commercial titanium implant surfaces (THD, TiUnite, SLA) were treated with UVC light (λ = 278 nm) using LED devices for 24 hours.
• Surface topography and morphology were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Chemical composition was assessed via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) before and after UVC treatment.

Main Results:

• SEM revealed distinct macro- and microscopic morphological differences across the implant types.
• XPS analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in carbon atomic concentration on all treated surfaces: THD (25.6% to 19.5%), TiUnite (30.2% to 20.2%), and SLA (26.1% to 19.2%).
• UVC treatment led to a simultaneous increase in oxygen and titanium concentrations on the implant surfaces.

Conclusions:

• LED-based UVC irradiation effectively decontaminates titanium dental implant surfaces.
• This photofunctionalization process improves the chemical features of titanium surfaces, irrespective of their initial type.
• The findings suggest a viable method for reactivating aged titanium implants to enhance their bioactivity.