Laser Surface Treatment of Polymethacrylate Materials for Biocompatibility Improvement

Methacrylate-based materials, widely used in dentistry, must possess high biocompatibility with oral cells and tissues. Currently, to improve the integration of orthodontic devices with the biological structures, laser-assisted polymer modification is actively employed. Importantly, functionalization is required only for the surface of the material that directly interacts with the oral tissues. This study presents approaches for laser modification of polymethacrylate materials and evaluates their influence on the proliferative activity of human spleen fibroblasts. Using laser radiation, two geometric patterns were obtained on the polymer surfaces. Cell morphology and proliferation on the experimental samples were assessed using scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the polymer with a groove-textured surface (pattern 1) promoted enhanced cell adhesion and reduced material toxicity. Additionally, the antibacterial properties of the polymers were evaluated. The sample with sparsely distributed surface craters (pattern 2) demonstrated an antifouling effect against Escherichia coli.