Antimicrobial-Releasing Implant Substrates for Combating Oral Biofilms: An In Vitro Study.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dental Implantology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Peri-implantitis is a major threat to dental implant success, driven by robust oral biofilms.
• Current treatments for peri-implantitis are limited by biofilm resistance.
• Novel strategies are needed for localized and targeted prevention and management of peri-implantitis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial-releasing titanium-silica (Ti/SiO2) composite implant systems.
• To assess the potential of these systems for peri-implantitis prevention and management.
• To investigate localized and targeted antimicrobial delivery for enhanced dental implant longevity.

Main Methods:

• Additive manufacturing (AM) was used to create macroporous Ti6Al4V discs with sol-gel derived mesoporous SiO2 barriers.
• Controlled release of chlorhexidine (CHX) was achieved using laboratory-prepared CHX diacetate (CHX-DA) or commercial Corsodyl.
• Antimicrobial efficacy was assessed using viability-qPCR, SEM, and metabolic acid profiling on multispecies oral biofilms.

Main Results:

• The Ti/SiO2 inserts demonstrated sustained CHX-DA release (≈0.00077 mmol/L/day).
• Antimicrobial-fed inserts significantly reduced biofilm formation (≥2 log10 reduction in viable bacteria) compared to controls.
• SEM revealed morphological changes in bacteria, and effective suppression of pathogenic bacteria and metabolic acid production was observed.

Conclusions:

• Antimicrobial-releasing Ti/SiO2 implant discs show sustained efficacy in preventing and treating oral biofilms.
• These composite implants represent a feasible future strategy for managing peri-implantitis.
• The localized and targeted drug delivery approach holds promise for improving dental implant outcomes.