Time- and Species-Dependent Bacterial Adhesion to Titanium over Short Exposure Periods: An In Vitro Study

A considerable percentage of dental implant patients experience biofilm-mediated peri-implant disease following transmucosal abutment application. Bacterial adhesion is an early step in biofilm development. Our purpose was to assess adhesion of specific bacterial species to titanium over short exposure periods. Eight bacterial species were selected for this analysis: Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus mitis, Gemella haemolysans, Streptococcus gordonii, Streptococcus sanguinis, Neisseria flavescens, Streptococcus salivarius, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We cultured each species with appropriate media and exposed titanium foil discs to the bacteria for 60, 15, 5, 1, or 0.25 minutes. Optical density at 600-nm wavelength (OD600) was assessed for the baseline inoculum and each species/exposure combination. The proportion of bacteria adherent to titanium was determined for each experimental condition. Striking titanium adhesion was noted for all evaluated species even when exposure time was limited to 15 seconds. Strategies to limit bacterial adhesion at dental implant surfaces may offer potential for improved treatment outcomes and preservation of peri-implant health.