The Decontamination Effect of an Oscillating Chitosan Brush Compared With an Ultrasonic PEEK-Tip: An In Vitro Study...

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Microbiology
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Peri-implantitis poses a significant challenge in dental implantology.
• Effective mechanical decontamination of implant surfaces is crucial for managing peri-implantitis.
• Novel devices are being developed to improve biofilm removal efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of an oscillating chitosan brush (OCB) and an ultrasonic device with PEEK tip (US-PEEK) for mechanical implant surface decontamination.
• To evaluate the impact of these devices on multispecies biofilms in a 3D in vitro model.
• To assess bacterial reduction on different implant surface types (machined vs. SLA).

Main Methods:

• A validated dynamic multispecies biofilm model was established on dental implants with machined and sandblasted, large-grit, acid-etched (SLA) surfaces.
• Implants were placed in 3D models simulating peri-implant defects.
• Mechanical decontamination was performed for 120 seconds using either OCB or US-PEEK devices.
• Bacterial composition and load were analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and quantitative PCR (qPCR).

Main Results:

• Well-structured biofilms were observed on untreated control implants.
• The US-PEEK group demonstrated a significant reduction in bacterial species compared to the OCB and control groups (p < 0.05).
• The OCB group showed a biofilm removal effect specifically on machined implant surfaces, while US-PEEK was effective on SLA surfaces.

Conclusions:

• Mechanical decontamination using US-PEEK and OCB effectively reduced peri-implant biofilm in an in vitro 3D model.
• The US-PEEK device exhibited superior efficacy in reducing overall bacterial numbers compared to the OCB.
• Different implant surface topographies influenced the effectiveness of each decontamination method.